Chapter 18 - DEBORAH’S LAST ATTEMPT
Deborah remained furious.
Not remorseful.
Not frightened.
Furious.
She blamed me for Megan cooperating with investigators.
She blamed me for Travis refusing to speak to her.
She blamed me for Harold hiring a criminal defense attorney.
Then she made a mistake.
She came to my parents’ house.
It was raining.
I was upstairs feeding Caleb when the doorbell rang.
Dad checked the camera.
His face hardened.
“Deborah.”
My heart started pounding.
She was prohibited from contact with the babies.
Dad called the police before opening the door.
He kept the storm door locked.
“What do you want?”
Deborah stood on the porch holding an envelope.
“I want to talk to Claire.”
“No.”
“She destroyed my family.”
Dad almost laughed.
“You did that.”
“You don’t understand.”
“I understand perfectly.”
Her voice rose.
“I raised Travis to respect his mother.”
“You raised him to fear you.”
Deborah saw me standing at the top of the stairs.
“Claire!”
I stopped.
Dad turned.
“You don’t have to speak to her.”
I looked at Deborah.
For nearly seven years, that woman had dominated every room she entered.
Birthdays.
Holidays.
My marriage.
My pregnancy.
Now she stood outside in the rain.
And I felt nothing but distance.
“What do you want?”
She lifted the envelope.
“I will make all of this go away.”
I almost smiled.
“How?”
“There’s money.”
Dad stiffened.
Deborah continued.
“Enough money for the babies.”
“You withdraw the complaint.”
“You tell the prosecutor there was a misunderstanding.”
“You let Travis have normal custody.”
“And we all move on.”
I stared at her.
“You’re trying to buy my silence?”
“I’m trying to save my family.”
“No.”
“You’re trying to save yourself.”
Police lights appeared behind her.
For the first time, Deborah looked nervous.
I walked down two steps.
“You wanted me to learn who mattered most to Travis.”
Her face changed.
“I learned.”
I looked toward Sophie sleeping in her bassinet.
Then Caleb.
“My children matter most to me.”
“And that means people like you do not get access just because you share their blood.”
The officers reached the porch.
May you like
Deborah turned.
I closed the door before she could say another word.
