Chapter 16 - Vanessa’s parents
Vanessa’s mother, Claire Blake, requested a meeting.
I agreed because she had always treated Lily kindly.
Her father did not come.
Claire sat in Maria’s living room.
Neutral.
“Adrian.”
“Hi.”
“I’m not here to defend what Vanessa did.”
Good opening.
“She says you made her feel second for two years.”
I nodded.
“She may have felt that.”
“You don’t agree?”
“Feelings don’t require my agreement.”
Claire looked surprised.
Then:
“Did you?”
“Did I what?”
“Put Lily first.”
“Frequently.”
“Always?”
“No.”
“Vanessa says always.”
“Vanessa wanted categories I didn’t believe in.”
Claire sighed.
“She grew up competing with her sister.”
That explained something.
Not enough.
Vanessa had an older sister, Monica, who had been:
Prettier according to relatives.
More academically successful.
Married earlier.
First grandchild.
Vanessa learned to measure love through rank.
Claire admitted:
“We contributed.”
“How?”
“We said things like, ‘Your sister did this at your age.’”
There.
Generational.
Then:
“When Vanessa met you, she told me she finally had someone who chose her.”
My chest tightened.
“I did choose her.”
“But then Lily existed.”
“Yes.”
Claire cried.
“That sounds terrible.”
“It does.”
“I mean the way Vanessa thought.”
I nodded.
Claire continued:
“She isn’t dangerous.”
I looked at her.
“She was dangerous to Lily that day.”
Claire closed her eyes.
“Yes.”
Specific.
Not permanent monster.
Not harmless.
“Do you think she’ll ever see Lily again?”
“I don’t know.”
“Would you consider an apology?”
“Yes.”
“Reconciliation?”
“No.”
May you like
Claire nodded slowly.
That meeting helped because she did not ask me to restore the wedding as proof of mercy.
