Chapter 6 - CLAIRE LOST HER BROTHER’S TRUST TOO
Daniel stayed angry with Rachel.
He also became angry with Claire.
That surprised her.
Two days after the birthday, he drove Claire to her orthopedic follow-up.
Her knee repair had not been damaged, but the fall had set back her recovery.
She would remain on the crutch longer.
On the drive home, Daniel said, “You should’ve called me Friday.”
“I know.”
“You should’ve called me when you found the bottle.”
“I didn’t know it was Dad’s.”
“You suspected.”
“Yes.”
“You always tell me I excuse him.”
Claire stared through the windshield.
“I do too.”
Daniel laughed bitterly.
“Apparently.”
She looked at him.
“I was trying not to destroy his relationship with Noah over a bottle I couldn’t prove was his.”
“And Friday?”
“Noah begged me.”
“He’s eight.”
“I know.”
“No. I don’t think you do.”
Daniel pulled into her driveway but left the engine running.
“He thought telling me would make his mother disappear.”
Claire’s throat tightened.
“I didn’t want him carrying that.”
“So you carried it for him.”
“I thought Rachel would tell you.”
“You trusted the adult who created the problem instead of protecting the kid caught inside it.”
Claire looked away.
Daniel’s voice softened.
“That’s what Dad did at the party.”
The comparison hurt.
Because it was not entirely unfair.
Claire had spent her life seeing herself as different from Frank.
He controlled.
She helped.
He demanded.
She accommodated.
Yet both had a habit of making decisions for people and calling it protection.
“I’m sorry,” she said.
Daniel rested his forehead briefly against the steering wheel.
“I know.”
It was not forgiveness.
Not yet.
That same afternoon Frank called Claire.
She answered.
“You turned your brother against me.”
“No.”
“You played that recording.”
“It played at the party.”
“You know what I mean.”
Claire closed her eyes.
“Dad, were you drinking Friday?”
“I had a drink.”
“How many?”
“That’s nobody’s business.”
“It became Noah’s business.”
Frank’s voice hardened.
“I raised two kids. Nobody died.”
Claire stared at the wall.
There it was.
Not remorse.
A survival statistic.
“Daniel doesn’t want you watching Noah alone.”
Frank became quiet.
Then:
“That your decision?”
“No.”
“Good.”
“It’s his.”
May you like
Frank hung up.
For the first time in her life, Claire had heard her father realize his authority over the family was ending.
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