“No.”
“Luke.”
“No.”
“What am I supposed to tell people?”
There it was again.
Not What can I do to repair this?
Not Is Ellie okay?
What am I supposed to tell people?
Luke stared at her.
“Tell them the truth.”
Diane left the bag on the porch.
Inside was a doll wearing a pink birthday dress.
Claire found it after Diane drove away.
She looked at Luke.
“What do you want to do?”
He stared at the doll.
“Donate it.”
Claire nodded.
They did.
Three days later, Diane removed Luke from the Bennett Construction executive committee.
The notice arrived by email.
Effective immediately.
No explanation.
Luke read it at 7:04 Monday morning while drinking coffee.
Claire stood across the kitchen.
“What happened?”
He handed her the phone.
She read.
“Can she do this?”
“Yes.”
“Can she fire you?”
“Technically.”
“Will she?”
Luke looked toward the stairs.
Ellie would wake soon.
“Probably.”
Claire sat beside him.
“Are we okay?”
Financially.
That was what she meant.
Luke understood.
They lived comfortably.
But their house had been purchased partly with a family loan administered through a Bennett trust.
Luke’s salary came from the company.
His health insurance.
His retirement contributions.
A significant portion of their savings was company stock.
Diane knew exactly how deeply his life was tied to Bennett Construction.
That had never seemed dangerous before.
Now it looked intentional.
“We’ll be okay,” Luke said.
“Are you sure?”
“No.”
Claire appreciated the honesty.
By Wednesday, Luke’s company email had been disabled.
By Thursday, his office access card stopped working.
Andrew called.
“Mom is telling the board you’re taking a temporary leave because of family stress.”
Luke laughed.
“I’m working.”
“I know.”
“Are you voting with her?”
Andrew went silent.
Luke closed his eyes.
“Andrew.”
“I have three kids.”
“So do I matter less because I have one?”
“That isn’t what I mean.”
“You’re afraid she’ll do it to you.”