The Price of a Family Name
Chapter 08 - The Price of a Family Name
Claire walked out before she did something she would regret.
Daniel followed her into the snow.
“Claire!”
She kept walking.
“Claire, I didn't know.”
She turned so suddenly he nearly collided with her.
“You knew enough.”
His face crumpled.
“I knew there had been a call.”
“And you hid it.”
“I thought it was extortion.”
“You knew the caller mentioned Captain Blue.”
“I was trying to protect you.”
“Everybody keeps saying that.”
Daniel went silent.
Claire pointed toward Evelyn’s house.
“Your mother protected Lydia.”
Then she pointed at him.
“You protected me.”
Her voice broke.
“And somehow, during all this protecting, our son slept in shelters.”
Daniel looked away.
That was the first moment Claire knew their marriage might not survive.
Back at the advocacy center, Eli sat beside Owen playing cards.
Claire stopped in the doorway.
Owen was cheating badly.
Eli knew.
He let him do it anyway.
Claire’s heart broke all over again.
This was what had been stolen.
Not only birthdays.
Ordinary afternoons.
Arguments over toys.
Brothers growing up together.
Eli noticed her.
“Did you find out who June was?”
Claire sat beside him.
“Yes.”
He became guarded.
“Was she bad?”
Claire considered lying.
Then decided he had already been lied to enough.
“She made choices that hurt people.”
Eli looked down.
“She was good to me sometimes.”
Claire nodded.
“Both things can be true.”
He looked surprised.
“You’re not mad?”
“At you?”
“At me for loving her.”
Claire reached across the table.
“Never.”
Eli began crying without warning.
Not loudly.
That somehow made it worse.
“She told me nobody wanted me.”
Claire closed her eyes.
“She lied.”
“She said my real mom left me.”
“She lied.”
“She said my dad was dead.”
Daniel stood in the doorway.
Eli saw him.
The boy wiped his face.
“Why didn't you find me?”
Daniel opened his mouth.
Nothing came out.
Claire wanted to answer for him.
She didn't.
Daniel knelt.
“I should have tried harder.”
Eli stared at him.
“That doesn't answer me.”
Daniel nodded slowly.
“No. It doesn't.”
Then Eli asked the question Claire had been afraid he would eventually ask.
May you like
“If everybody knew pieces of the truth, why was I the only one who had to pay for it?”
Nobody in the room had an answer.
