Chapter 2 - The Money Everyone Thought Claire Had
Ethan drove three blocks before Claire told him to pull over.
He stopped beside a dark neighborhood park.
Neither spoke.
Claire could still smell roast chicken on her dress.
“What did Megan mean?”
Ethan looked at the steering wheel.
“I don’t know.”
“You reacted.”
“I reacted because my sister humiliated you.”
“No.”
Claire turned toward him.
“When Megan mentioned money, you reacted.”
Ethan rubbed both hands over his face.
“That’s complicated.”
Her anger sharpened.
“Then make it simple.”
He looked at her.
“Mom wanted to pay you.”
Claire stared at him.
“When?”
“After the first month.”
“She asked me. I said no.”
“I know.”
Claire had refused because Ruth was family.
Ruth had already given them the use of the small apartment above her detached garage while they helped during recovery.
Claire did not want money too.
“So what does that have to do with Megan?”
Ethan hesitated.
“My mom didn’t like taking no for an answer.”
Claire gave him a hard look.
“Family trait.”
He ignored that.
“She talked to Vivian.”
“About what?”
“Setting something aside.”
“For me?”
“For us.”
Claire felt the first real warning.
“What exactly was being set aside?”
Ethan looked toward the windshield.
“Three thousand dollars a month.”
Claire stopped breathing for a second.
Four months.
Twelve thousand dollars.
“And where is it?”
“I thought Vivian was holding it.”
Claire laughed once.
There was nothing funny in it.
“You thought?”
“Mom wanted it saved toward a down payment.”
“You knew this?”
“Not at first.”
“When did you find out?”
“December.”
It was now March.
Claire stared at her husband.
“And you never told me.”
“You had already refused the money.”
“So you decided my answer didn’t count.”
“That isn’t what I—”
“That is exactly what you did.”
Ethan gripped the steering wheel.
“I thought it would be a good surprise.”
“A surprise?”
“For when we moved out.”
Claire looked away before she said something she could not take back.
Her phone buzzed.
Megan.
I’m really sorry about tonight. Viv told everybody Aunt Ruth pays you $3K a month plus free housing. I thought that’s why she was acting like that. Still awful. I should’ve said something.
Claire read the message twice.
Then handed Ethan the phone.
His face went hard.
“She told everyone?”
“Apparently.”
“That isn’t what Mom intended.”
“What did your mother intend?”
“That you wouldn’t feel like you’d sacrificed four months for nothing.”
Claire turned toward him.
“I didn’t.”
He frowned.
“I was helping your mother.”
Another message arrived.
This one from Ruth.
Sweetheart, are you all right? Vivian said you left upset. Please tell me this isn’t about the savings account.
Claire looked at Ethan.
May you like
“What savings account?”
He went completely still.
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