Chapter 9 - The Story She Told First
My attorney, Leah Porter, read Claire’s post without changing expression.
Then she watched Ben’s video.
She set the phone facedown.
“We preserve everything,” she said. “We communicate carefully. And you stop speaking to Claire alone.”
“I want that post removed.”
“We can request that. First, we document it.”
“She put my son’s name in it.”
“I saw.”
Leah’s calm kept me from doing something reckless.
She explained the steps ahead: ending the marriage through the appropriate legal process, dealing with the house, documenting the reports, protecting Noah’s privacy.
Nothing would be fixed in one afternoon.
I hated that.
Before I left, she asked, “What do you want most?”
“For him to feel safe.”
“Then let that decide what you do next.”
I went back to Rachel’s.
Noah was coloring at the table.
He had drawn a house with six windows and a green roof.
“Who lives there?” I asked.
“Us.”
“Looks nice.”
“All the doors open.”
I sat down before my legs could fail.
That evening, my company’s biggest client called.
“I got an email,” he said awkwardly.
“From Claire?”
“She says you abandoned her and that there are concerns about your behavior.”
I stared at the kitchen wall.
“I’m handling a serious situation involving my son. My lawyer can answer anything relevant to work.”
“I’m sorry, Daniel. I didn’t mean—”
“I know.”
Afterward, I stood outside on Rachel’s porch and shook with anger.
Claire had hurt Noah, then made protecting him expensive.
Rachel came out with my jacket.
“She wants you fighting her all day,” she said.
“I can’t let her say anything she wants.”
“No. But don’t let her take tonight too.”
Inside, Noah was waiting with a book.
I read about a truck that got stuck in the mud.
Halfway through, my phone vibrated.
A message from Claire.
I’ll take the post down. Come to the house alone. We need to talk before my mother sees what I have.
Attached was a photograph of a document.
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At the top were the words RESIDENTIAL PROGRAM INQUIRY.
Below them was my son’s name.
