Chapter 22 - The horse
Genevieve served her sentence.
Felix returned home.
The first weekend after, she brought him to my house.
No lawyers.
No reporters.
Supervised by common sense.
She stood in foyer.
Primrose ran to Felix.
Genevieve looked thinner.
Then:
“Benedict.”
“Genevieve.”
She handed me an envelope.
“What?”
“Receipt for the first sanctions payment.”
I almost laughed.
“I don’t need that personally.”
“I know.”
“Then why?”
“Because I wanted you to know I’m not fighting the order.”
Fine.
Then Felix interrupted:
“Can we talk about the horse?”
Genevieve closed her eyes.
“No.”
He looked at me.
“Uncle Benedict?”
“No.”
Primrose:
“I want one too.”
“No.”
Genevieve laughed.
First genuine laugh between us in years.
Then silence.
She said:
“I’m sorry about the birthday.”
I did not answer immediately.
She continued:
“Not the trust case. I have lawyers for that. The birthday.”
Specific.
“I humiliated Primrose because I wanted everyone to recognize Felix.”
“Yes.”
“I told myself she would forget.”
“She didn’t.”
Genevieve looked down.
“I know.”
Then:
“I should apologize to her.”
“Not today.”
She stiffened.
“Why?”
“Because you want relief. She deserves timing that’s about her.”
Genevieve looked ready to argue.
Then stopped.
May you like
“Okay.”
That okay mattered.
