Chapter 10 - THE DAUGHTER WHO STAYED
Charles met Vivian the next day in the small conservatory behind the house.
He asked her to come alone.
For once, she did.
Rain tapped against the glass roof.
“You always liked it in here,” he said.
“Mom did.”
“Yes.”
Vivian remained standing.
“If this is another interrogation, get Elaine.”
“It’s a question. Why?”
She crossed her arms.
“Why what?”
“Why tell Anna I wanted nothing to do with her?”
Something flickered across her face.
“She left.”
“After I accused her of stealing.”
“You had evidence.”
“Evidence you brought me.”
“You wanted someone to blame.”
He absorbed that.
She wasn’t wrong.
But being partly right had always made Vivian dangerous when she wanted to avoid the rest.
“Did you send the letter?”
She looked toward the rain.
“Yes.”
The word was almost lost against the roof.
Charles gripped the arm of his chair.
“Did you return her calls?”
“I handled things you couldn’t handle.”
“You mean things you didn’t want me to hear.”
Vivian laughed once.
No humor.
“You want the truth? Anna could walk into a room late, forget half of what she promised, and you’d still ask her to sit beside you. I ran your house after Mom died. I fixed your calendar. I remembered your medication. I stayed.”
“And that gave you the right to erase her?”
“It gave me nothing. That was the point.”
For the first time, Charles saw the old hurt beneath her anger.
He had depended on Vivian without thanking her. Expected competence and rewarded charm.
He had failed both daughters differently.
“I should have seen what you were carrying,” he said.
Her eyes filled.
Then he added, “You still chose what you did.”
The tears hardened into fury.
“You don’t get to make this simple.”
“I’m not.”
“Anna sent a child into that ballroom.”
“Because she thought she might die.”
Vivian looked away.
Charles waited.
Finally she said, “I only meant for her to stay gone until everything settled.”
“Eighteen years.”
“I know how long it’s been.”
He placed Frank’s Northstar invoice on the table.
Her face drained.
“The money didn’t belong to you.”
“I was going to replace it.”
“And Grant?”
She said nothing.
“Does he know?”
May you like
Vivian sat down slowly.
Then, with an expression Charles couldn’t read, she asked, “Do you think Grant waited for my permission?”
