No dramatic jewelry.
No audience.
For the first time since I had known her, she looked uncertain.
Marcus stayed beside us.
Linda glanced at him.
Then me.
“I’m not here to cause trouble.”
Daniel said nothing.
She swallowed.
“I wanted to give you this.”
She held out an envelope.
Daniel didn’t take it.
“What is it?”
“A card.”
“You were told not to come.”
“I know.”
“Then why are you here?”
Her eyes moved toward me.
“I thought Emily might convince you to let me in.”
There it was again.
Even now, she wanted me responsible for her son’s decisions.
I answered before Daniel could.
“No.”
For a second, the familiar contempt flashed across Linda’s face.
Then she noticed the security camera above the lobby desk.
Her expression changed.
The irony wasn’t lost on me.
The same kind of camera she had once ignored now reminded her that words had consequences.
She lowered her voice.
“I’m trying to make peace.”
Daniel finally responded.
“Peace requires honesty.”
“I apologized.”
“You signed an apology after your attorney negotiated it.”
“What more do you want from me?”
He considered that.
“Nothing tonight.”
Linda stared.
That seemed to hurt more than anger.
Daniel continued.
“I don’t want revenge. I don’t want another argument. I want to go back inside and celebrate my marriage.”
She gripped the envelope.
“Am I ever going to be part of your life again?”
