Chapter 12 - Claire’s sister
Claire’s older sister Beth lived in Maryland.
She arrived three days after the incident.
Furious.
Not only at Diane.
At me.
“You left Lily with her four days a week.”
“Three.”
“Some weeks four.”
“Yes.”
“You knew Diane thought Claire babied her.”
I stared.
“What?”
Beth pulled out old messages.
Claire and Beth.
Claire had complained about Diane before her death.
Nothing about kennel.
Obviously.
But:
Diane thinks crying is manipulation even when Lily is exhausted.
Another:
She keeps saying Daniel and I respond too fast.
Another:
I told Daniel I don’t want his mom handling discipline alone once Lily gets older unless we agree on rules.
My chest hurt.
Claire had said some of that to me.
I remembered.
I had answered:
“Mom’s old-school.”
Then:
“She means well.”
The family anesthesia.
Beth said:
“I’m not blaming you for what Diane did.”
Good.
“Then what?”
“I’m telling you Claire saw the philosophy before you did.”
“Why didn’t you tell me after she died?”
Beth looked ashamed.
“Because you needed Diane.”
There.
Everyone protects the arrangement they depend on.
Marjorie.
Beth.
Me.
Different degrees.
Same convenience.
I said:
“You thought I couldn’t cope without her.”
“Yes.”
“Were you right?”
“At first.”
“Then?”
“I should’ve trusted you enough to tell you.”
May you like
There.
Another honest verb.
