“I know.”
They drove another mile.
Luke spoke again.
“I think when you grow up with something, you don’t realize it’s strange.”
Claire understood that.
She did.
But understanding did not make her less angry.
“Ellie specifically told your mother she didn’t want the cake prank.”
Luke looked at her in the mirror.
“What?”
“Last Sunday.”
Claire lowered her voice so she would not wake their daughter.
“Your mother showed her a video of some kid getting pushed into a birthday cake.”
“I didn’t know that.”
“Ellie got scared. She told Diane she didn’t want anyone doing it to her.”
“And Mom knew?”
“Yes.”
Luke went silent.
That changed the story.
Claire could see it on his face.
There was a difference between an impulsive joke and deliberately doing the exact thing a frightened child had asked you not to do.
“She knew,” Claire repeated.
Luke nodded slowly.
“Okay.”
“What does okay mean?”
“It means I’m going to handle it.”
Claire looked at him.
“How?”
“I don’t know yet.”
That answer frightened her more than she wanted to admit.
Because Luke loved his mother.
And Diane knew it.
For eleven years, Claire had watched Diane push against boundaries and then retreat just enough to avoid consequences.
The wedding venue.
Christmas schedules.
Their first house.
Ellie’s name.
Diane had opinions about all of it.
Strong opinions.
When Luke and Claire announced their pregnancy, Diane suggested naming the baby Elizabeth after herself.
When they chose Eleanor Rose, Diane said it sounded “old-fashioned.”
For six months after Ellie was born, Diane referred to her as Ellie Beth anyway.
Claire corrected her every time.
Eventually Diane stopped.
But not without making Claire feel unreasonable for caring.
That was Diane’s real talent.
She never simply crossed a line.
She crossed it, then convinced everyone the line had been foolish.
Luke parked in their driveway.
Before anyone moved, Ellie stirred.
Her eyes opened.
“Daddy?”
Luke turned around.
“Hey, birthday girl.”
She frowned.
“Birthday’s over.”
“No, it isn’t.”
“It got ruined.”
Claire’s heart hurt.
Luke unbuckled his seat belt.
“Who told you that?”
“No one.”
“Then listen to me.”
He reached between the seats and took her hand.
“Your birthday is the whole day. We still have nine hours.”
Ellie looked doubtful.
“What are we going to do?”
Luke glanced at Claire.
“I have absolutely no idea.”