Chapter 8 - DEREK MAKES IT WORSE
Derek called Rachel.
Not to apologize.
To negotiate.
“If you restart the payments, we’ll handle Mason.”
Rachel almost laughed.
“Handle him?”
“He’ll apologize.”
“Because you’ll make him?”
“Because he was wrong.”
“You laughed.”
Derek went quiet.
Rachel continued:
“You told him I deserved it.”
“That was a joke.”
“He repeated you.”
Derek sighed.
“Okay, fine. I was pissed at you.”
“Why?”
“Because you keep making everyone feel small.”
Rachel blinked.
“How?”
“Money.”
“I don’t talk about money.”
“You don’t have to. Everyone knows.”
That surprised her.
Derek said:
“You come in, pay Mom’s mortgage, buy expensive gifts, fix things. Everyone feels like you’re keeping score.”
Rachel sat very still.
Maybe she had.
Not aloud.
But internally.
She remembered:
Eric forgetting her birthday.
Lauren never visiting when Rachel was sick.
Derek borrowing tools and not returning them.
Rachel often thought:
After everything I do.
That did not excuse what happened.
May you like
But it explained something.
Financial help had become emotional currency in both directions.
