Chapter 7 - What Margaret Wanted Me to Do
Rachel understood the plan immediately.
Margaret would provoke Lily into taking Bunny.
Let the rabbit be damaged.
Possibly destroy it herself.
Then record Rachel's reaction.
If Rachel screamed at Lily?
Proof she favored Sophie.
If Rachel blamed Margaret?
Proof she was hostile to Daniel's family.
If Sophie melted down?
Proof Sophie was unstable around Lily.
Every outcome became content.
The only thing Margaret needed was a camera.
Rachel remembered the recorder.
"Was there video too?"
Daniel looked sick.
He searched the replacement rabbit in the garage.
No camera.
Then he found the gift bag.
A tiny clip camera attached beneath the tissue-paper fold.
Already charged.
Rachel sat down.
Julia whispered, "That's insane."
Rachel shook her head.
"No."
Insane made it sound random.
This was planned.
Daniel called Margaret.
Rachel listened.
"Why was there a camera in the gift bag?"
Margaret paused.
"For memories."
"Mom."
Silence.
"Did you plan to destroy Sophie's rabbit?"
Margaret's voice sharpened.
"I planned to make Rachel show you who she is."
"By hurting a child."
"By taking away an object."
"You slapped her."
"She pushed Lily."
"You coached Lily to take the rabbit."
Margaret inhaled.
Daniel continued.
"You told Thomas Sophie was useful."
No answer.
"You told him you needed to separate the girls."
Margaret whispered, "You don't understand."
"Then explain."
"Every day Lily loves Rachel more."
Daniel closed his eyes.
There it was.
Margaret continued.
"Every day she remembers Claire less."
"She's three."
"Exactly."
"She deserves to grow."
"Not away from her mother."
"Claire is dead."
The words came out harsher than Daniel intended.
But they were true.
Margaret made a wounded sound.
Daniel looked at Rachel.
Then said slowly:
"Lily loving Rachel does not kill Claire again."
Silence.
"Lily loving Sophie does not betray Claire."
Margaret began crying.
Daniel's voice broke too.
"And me loving Rachel does not mean I survived Claire incorrectly."
Rachel looked away.
That was not for her.
That was between him and grief.
Margaret whispered, "You don't know what it's like to watch your child erase someone."
Daniel laughed bitterly.
"I'm your child."
Margaret went silent.
Good.
After the call, Rachel and Daniel sat outside Julia's house.
For several minutes neither spoke.
Then Rachel said, "That was real."
"What?"
"What you said."
"Yes."
"It doesn't fix us."
"I know."
He nodded.
A week later, the family met with a child therapist who specialized in blended families.
Not because the girls were problems.
Because adults had made them carry adult meaning.
Sophie said she did not want to call Lily her sister.
Nobody corrected her.
Lily called Sophie "Soso."
Sophie allowed that.
Progress.
Daniel began showing Sophie the anonymous emails he had received.
Not the most upsetting clips.
Just enough to apologize honestly.
"I believed some of these."
Sophie looked at him.
"Did you think I'm mean?"
Daniel's face tightened.
"Sometimes I thought you were having a hard time."
"That's not what I asked."
Children were brutal with accuracy.
Daniel answered.
"Sometimes, yes."
Sophie looked down.
"Grandma said you would."
Daniel closed his eyes.
"I'm sorry."
Sophie did not forgive him.
She asked for juice.
That was enough.
Then Rachel's phone buzzed.
A message from an unknown number.
One photograph.
Margaret sitting in a cafe.
Across from her was a man Rachel recognized immediately.
Her ex-husband.
Sophie's father.
Adam Mercer.
A man Sophie had not seen in four years.
Text:
ASK MARGARET WHY SHE'S BEEN PAYING HIM.
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