Chapter 10 - What I Had Signed
Thomasin’s threat remained.
“Touch me and Lowri learns the truth.”
What truth?
That I had signed the bereavement plan.
Thomasin believed that mattered enough to hurt me.
We met once with lawyers present to exchange personal property and discuss the engagement termination.
No reconciliation.
I asked:
“What did you mean?”
She looked tired.
“You signed off on removing Celia’s things.”
“No.”
“You signed the plan.”
“I signed Miriam’s plan.”
“Your mother showed me the implementation notes.”
“Not signed.”
“She said you approved them.”
“Did you ask me?”
Thomasin looked away.
“No.”
“Why?”
“Because every time Celia came up, you shut down.”
That was fair.
“I thought Beatrice knew what you wanted.”
There.
Same mistake.
Everyone delegated me to my mother.
Because I had.
Thomasin continued:
“When I moved one photograph, Beatrice said you were grateful.”
“Were you?”
“I don’t remember.”
“Exactly.”
Then:
“You want to make me the monster because I ripped the album.”
“You told my daughter nobody wanted to remember her.”
Thomasin closed her eyes.
“I meant the family was tired of the memorial atmosphere.”
“She is five.”
“I know.”
“Now.”
She cried.
I did not comfort her.
Then:
“Did you remove photographs?”
“Yes.”
“How many?”
“Maybe four or five over months.”
“Why?”
“Beatrice said they were causing setbacks.”
“Did you ever ask Lowri?”
“No.”
There.
“Did you know Celia warned me about Beatrice?”
“No.”
I believed that.
Her shock at the note seemed real.
Then Thomasin said something I did not expect.
“I thought your mother was trying to help you.”
“So did I.”
That was the center.
Beatrice’s authority did not come from law.
It came from everyone’s willingness to let her interpret what Alwyn needed.
May you like
And I had taught them to.
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