Chapter 8 - THE PRENUP NATALIE NEVER READ
Natalie called Claire at midnight.
Claire almost did not answer.
Then:
“Did Ethan ever make you sign a prenup?”
Claire sat up.
“Yes.”
“What did it say?”
“Why?”
Silence.
“Natalie.”
“He gave me one.”
Claire closed her eyes.
Of course.
“What does it say?”
“That anything he brings into the marriage stays his.”
“Normal.”
“And anything in Meridian House stays separate.”
Claire laughed once.
Not kindly.
Natalie snapped:
“This isn’t funny.”
“No.”
Claire got out of bed.
“What did he tell you Meridian would become?”
“Our company.”
“There it is.”
Natalie went quiet.
Claire continued.
“If it’s your company, why does the prenup say it’s his?”
Silence.
Natalie began crying.
“I thought we were building something.”
Claire hated how familiar the sentence sounded.
Ethan had told both sisters versions of partnership.
Then designed control differently.
Claire asked:
“Did you sign?”
“No.”
“Good.”
“Are you happy?”
Claire looked out at Chicago.
“No.”
That surprised Natalie.
Claire continued.
“I wanted you to feel what I felt.”
“And?”
“It didn’t fix anything.”
They sat in silence over the phone.
Then Natalie said:
“I’m leaving Hawaii tomorrow.”
Claire did not say come home.
May you like
Not yet.
Some consequences needed distance.
