Chapter 6 - Maria tells me more
Maria came over after work.
She brought takeout and guilt.
Lily was upstairs playing.
We sat at the kitchen island.
“How much did Vanessa say?”
Maria looked at me.
“Do you want the version that makes me look better?”
“No.”
“Then I should’ve told you.”
“Okay.”
“She started talking about this after Christmas.”
Four months before the birthday.
“What?”
“Lily.”
“Specific.”
“She said Lily was too dependent on you.”
I rubbed my forehead.
“She’s six.”
“I said that.”
“And?”
“She said six is old enough to understand adults need a relationship separate from children.”
“That statement isn’t wrong.”
“I know.”
“What else?”
Maria looked uncomfortable.
“She asked if I would start taking Lily two weekends a month after the wedding.”
I stared.
“Two?”
“Yes.”
“You take her maybe one overnight every six weeks.”
“I know.”
“Why two weekends?”
“Vanessa said newlyweds need time.”
“Did she say I agreed?”
“She implied it.”
“What does implied mean?”
“She said, ‘Adrian knows he can’t keep building his whole schedule around Lily once we’re married.’”
I laughed without humor.
“Did you say yes?”
“No.”
“What did you say?”
“That Lily is not a custody arrangement between the three of us.”
Good sister.
“She got angry.”
“Did you tell me?”
“No.”
“Why?”
“You were happy.”
That hurt.
Maria continued:
“And I thought maybe it was normal pre-wedding negotiation.”
Exactly what I had thought.
Different observer.
Same minimization.
Then:
“She asked me something else.”
“What?”
“If Lily still goes into your room after nightmares.”
“Yes.”
“She said that has to stop before the honeymoon.”
“We’ve been working on it.”
“I told her.”
“She knows.”
Maria’s eyes narrowed.
“Then why ask me?”
Because Vanessa was collecting allies.
Not evidence for court.
Not conspiracy.
Validation.
Was she unreasonable?
Would Maria agree?
Would I choose Lily?
Who would tell Vanessa she was entitled to more?
Maria whispered:
May you like
“I think she was testing where everybody stood.”
That sentence stayed.
