Chapter 13 - Claire Prepared for the Life She Still Had
Claire changed her priorities.
Not from dying to living.
The distinction had stopped feeling useful.
She prepared for both.
With an estate attorney, she updated her will, medical power of attorney, healthcare directives, beneficiary designations, and instructions concerning personal belongings.
Walter was not automatically placed in control of everything.
Claire chose carefully.
Her cousin Jill became backup healthcare agent because she remained calm under pressure.
Walter handled practical property matters.
Claire’s old roommate received the collection of vinyl records they had built in college.
Her wedding ring was removed from any sentimental instructions.
She had no idea what she would ultimately do with it.
Financial tracing showed that most of the transferred marital money remained identifiable in Derek’s separate account and apartment deposit.
Temporary court orders required appropriate accounting and restricted further unusual transfers.
The disputed retirement loan remained under review.
Nothing magically returned overnight.
Claire no longer needed overnight justice.
She needed enough stability to make decisions without asking Derek for permission.
Her treatment changed too.
The new regimen was difficult but initially stabilized several lesions.
The oncologist warned against reading too much into one scan.
Claire didn’t.
She had stopped making emotional bargains with percentages.
Walter became part of her routine.
Tuesday infusion.
Thursday groceries.
Sunday breakfast if Claire had enough energy.
He occasionally overstepped.
Once he called the oncology office about an anti-nausea prescription without asking.
Claire confronted him.
“You promised.”
Walter apologized immediately.
Then he never did it again.
That repair meant more than perfection.
One afternoon Claire realized she had gone almost two days without thinking about Derek.
Cancer still occupied enormous space.
Her father did not.
Her friends did not.
May you like
Her own choices did not.
For the first time in months, there were parts of Claire’s life that belonged to something other than surviving a husband or surviving a disease.
