Chapter 6 - MAISE AND JULIAN
Maisie did not want to see Julian.
For six days.
Victor did not force it.
She asked:
“Did he know?”
“No.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes.”
“Did he like sitting in my chair?”
Victor almost smiled.
“No.”
“How do you know?”
“He looked like he wanted the floor to swallow him.”
Maisie considered.
Then:
“He could’ve stood up.”
“Yes.”
Children were fair and unfair simultaneously.
“He was scared of his mom.”
Maisie looked down.
“So?”
“Being scared explains some choices.”
“Doesn’t make them good.”
Victor stared.
“You’ve been listening to Evelyn.”
“She talks a lot.”
True.
A week later Julian sent a letter.
Not Clarissa.
The therapist helped deliver it.
Maisie,
I’m sorry I sat in your chair.
Mom told me not to move.
I should have anyway.
I didn’t know about Daniel.
I don’t want your room or chair or money.
I do want to know if Uncle Daniel liked basketball.
Julian.
Maisie read twice.
Then looked at Victor.
“Did Daniel like basketball?”
“No.”
“What did he like?”
“Sailing.”
“Ugh.”
Victor laughed.
“Should I tell him?”
“Your choice.”
Maisie wrote:
Julian,
Uncle Daniel liked boats, which is boring.
I’m still mad about the chair.
You can come for Christmas cookies if you don’t sit there.
Maisie.
Reconciliation at age eight.
Efficient.
The meeting happened with Andrew Mercer’s mother, Ruth, present.
Ruth had been Julian’s grandmother since birth.
She did not care about Santelli DNA.
Good.
She told Victor:
“Andrew knew Daniel might be the biological father.”
“Yes.”
“He still signed the birth certificate.”
“Yes.”
“He still woke up at two every morning.”
“Yes.”
“He was still Dad.”
Victor nodded.
“Absolutely.”
Ruth’s eyes filled.
“Good.”
Clarissa had begun minimizing Andrew after Daniel’s paternity became useful.
That stopped.
Victor made clear publicly within the family:
Julian Mercer was Daniel Santelli’s biological son.
Andrew Mercer was the father who raised him.
Both facts could coexist.
At the cookie afternoon, Maisie and Julian avoided each other for twenty minutes.
Then Julian asked:
“Is that your chair?”
She glared.
“Yes.”
“I’m sitting way over here.”
Good.
Eventually they decorated cookies.
Julian ruined a snowman.
Maisie criticized.
Argument.
Normal.
Then Julian asked:
“Am I your cousin?”
Maisie frowned.
“I guess.”
“Do cousins have to like each other?”
“No.”
“Good.”
She almost smiled.
Then:
“I kind of like you.”
He shrugged.
“Same.”
Victor watched from the doorway.
This was what Clarissa’s scheme could never understand.
Children did not need an inheritance chart to decide relationship.
They needed time.
Safety.
Choice.
Later Julian asked Victor privately:
“Does my mom go to jail?”
Victor stopped.
“I don’t know.”
“She did bad stuff.”
“Some things may have legal consequences.”
“Do you hate her?”
“No.”
Julian looked surprised.
Victor continued.
“I’m angry.”
“That’s different?”
“Yes.”
“Can I love her?”
“Of course.”
Julian’s eyes filled.
“Even if Maisie doesn’t?”
“Yes.”
No loyalty test.
Daniel would approve.
Then Julian whispered:
“Mom says you’re trying to take me.”
Victor’s expression hardened.
“I’m not.”
“Promise?”
“I promise I won’t treat you like something to take.”
May you like
Julian nodded.
Another adult fear removed.
