Chapter 25 - Lenora and I Meet Without Lawyers
Two and a half years after the birthday, Lenora asked for coffee.
Public place.
No documents.
No signature request.
I agreed.
She looked older.
Not dramatically.
Less armored.
“I hated you.”
“I know.”
“I still do sometimes.”
“Useful.”
She almost smiled.
Then:
“I thought Caleb’s death made you head of the family.”
“I never wanted that.”
“You acted like it.”
Fair.
“You froze the review around your judgment.”
“Independent counsel ran it.”
“You wrote the check.”
“Yes.”
“That told everyone you owned the solution.”
Rachel’s voice through another mouth.
I said:
“You’re right about that part.”
Lenora looked surprised.
Then:
“I told Sloane things I should have told a lawyer.”
“Yes.”
“I wanted her to understand why I was angry.”
“She was twelve.”
“I know.”
“I did something similar financially when I called her trustee.”
She looked at me.
“I know.”
Of course.
Court record.
Then Lenora said:
“Caleb would hate what we did to each other.”
“Caleb helped create it.”
Her face tightened.
I did not soften.
“He trained both of us to expect after-the-fact fixes.”
She nodded eventually.
Then:
“I came to Annelise’s birthday to get you to sign.”
“Yes.”
“I told myself I would wait until after cake.”
I laughed once.
“Considerate.”
“I know how that sounds.”
“Terrible.”
“Yes.”
Silence.
Then:
“I did love Annelise.”
I looked at her.
“Maybe.”
She flinched.
“I did.”
“Then you resented what she represented.”
“Yes.”
There.
“Gideon’s branch still secure. Sloane’s branch under audit. Annelise getting gifts. Sloane losing Caleb.”
“Yes.”
“Children feel comparison before accounting.”
“I know now.”
No reconciliation.
But enough truth to stop fighting forever.
We finished coffee.
Paid separately.
May you like
Important somehow.
────────────────────
