Chapter 5 - Evelyn’s Key
My mother showed up at Lauren’s house Sunday morning.
She did not know I was staying there until Derek told her.
That alone irritated Lauren.
“Do you want her here?”
“No.”
“Then she doesn’t come in.”
We watched through doorbell camera.
Evelyn stood on porch wearing cream coat.
“Claire!”
I did not answer.
“Claire, this is ridiculous.”
Lauren opened door but remained inside threshold.
“Mrs. Morgan, Claire is not accepting visitors.”
My mother stared.
“You’re Lauren.”
“Yes.”
“You’re poisoning her.”
“Please leave.”
“This is family.”
“Then family can follow boundaries.”
Mom’s face tightened.
“Tell Claire her sister just had a baby. She is causing stress that could affect Valerie’s recovery.”
I almost walked out.
Lauren looked back.
“No.”
Good.
My mother continued:
“Derek made mistakes. He is still her husband.”
“Please communicate through counsel.”
“Claire doesn’t need a lawyer against her own mother.”
Lauren closed door.
My phone rang thirty seconds later.
Mom.
I answered this time on speaker with Lauren.
“Why did you visit Harbor Crest?”
Silence.
That was not greeting she expected.
“What?”
“Valerie’s apartment.”
Mom recovered.
“She’s my daughter.”
“You knew Derek was living there.”
“He visited.”
“Twenty one nights.”
“I don’t monitor your husband.”
“You watched him kiss her in hospital.”
“Claire…”
“You heard him call baby his son.”
Silence.
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
Mom sighed.
Not cried.
Sighed.
“Because what good would it have done?”
I stared at phone.
“What?”
“You couldn’t have children, Claire.”
Lauren’s face changed.
Mom continued.
“I’m not being cruel. I’m being realistic.”
“You think Derek having a baby with Valerie was realistic?”
“No one planned for feelings.”
“Did you know before pregnancy?”
Another silence.
“Mom.”
“Derek and Valerie were close.”
“How long?”
“I don’t know.”
“That’s a lie.”
“Claire, stop speaking to me like I’m on trial.”
“Did you give Derek my W 2?”
Mom stopped.
There.
“Why?”
“I don’t remember.”
“Did you give him my license scan?”
“I may have.”
“Why?”
“He said he needed documents for something related to your mortgage.”
“Our mortgage?”
“I don’t know.”
“You didn’t call me?”
“He’s your husband.”
That sentence.
Trust by proxy.
Convenient.
“Did you know he used them for Valerie’s lease?”
“No.”
The first answer that sounded immediate.
Maybe true.
“Did you know about HELOC?”
“What HELOC?”
Also immediate.
Lauren wrote notes.
Mom said:
“Claire, I knew about the affair.”
There.
Finally.
“I knew about the baby. I knew Derek was helping with apartment. I did not know he used your name.”
“Did you know my money paid rent?”
“You and Derek share money.”
“No.”
“What?”
“Not anymore.”
Her voice sharpened.
“What are you doing?”
“Protecting myself.”
“Don’t punish Valerie’s baby.”
I laughed.
“Why is stopping my money punishment?”
“Because she has no income right now.”
“That is not my responsibility.”
“She’s your sister.”
“So?”
Lauren looked at me.
That was new.
For thirty three years, “she’s your sister” had worked.
Mom seemed stunned too.
“Claire.”
“No.”
“You have more.”
“Not relevant.”
“Valerie has a newborn.”
“Derek is the father. He can support his son.”
Mom lowered her voice.
“You know Derek doesn’t make what you make.”
There.
The hierarchy revealed itself.
I earned more.
Therefore I funded.
My salary was family resource.
My needs optional.
Valerie’s needs urgent.
Derek’s betrayal apparently survivable if I kept paying.
“What exactly did you expect would happen?”
I asked.
“After what?”
“After the baby.”
Silence.
“Did you think I’d stay married to Derek?”
Mom answered:
“We thought you would eventually understand.”
I felt cold.
“Understand what?”
“That not every marriage gives people everything they need.”
Lauren closed her eyes.
My own mother had built a moral framework around my husband sleeping with my sister.
I asked:
“Did you expect me to raise the baby?”
“No.”
“Pay?”
“Claire…”
“Answer.”
“You help family.”
That was enough.
I ended call.
Lauren sat beside me.
“Are you okay?”
“No.”
“Good answer.”
Then her assistant forwarded an email.
The bank had found a transfer authorization form for the $24,000 Harbor Crest advance.
Authorized by:
Claire Morgan.
Electronic signature.
Same fake email address.
And beneath the signature block was a witness name.
Evelyn Morgan.
May you like
My mother had just said she did not know my name was being used.
Now her name was on the document.
