Chapter 8 - CLAIRE TURNS ON RYAN
Ryan wanted Diane out of the house immediately.
Claire stopped him.
He stared.
“She hit Lily.”
“Yes.”
“She lied to me my entire life.”
“Yes.”
“So why are you defending her?”
Claire’s face hardened.
“I’m not.”
Then:
“I’m stopping you from doing what you always do.”
Ryan froze.
“What?”
“Decide first. Ask later.”
The words landed because they were true.
He had shoved Claire before hearing what happened upstairs.
He had immediately defended Diane.
Now he wanted to erase Diane before understanding anything else.
Claire continued:
“You shoved me while I was holding our daughter.”
Ryan looked sick.
“I know.”
“No, I don’t think you do.”
He had apologized.
Once.
Too quickly.
Now Claire said:
“You saw me hit your mother and decided I was the threat.”
Ryan looked down.
“I was wrong.”
“Yes.”
Then Claire added:
“And being lied to for thirty-five years doesn’t give you permission to become another person who uses anger instead of thinking.”
Ryan sat.
May you like
For the first time since opening the locket, he stopped moving.
That mattered.
