Part 4
The next few hours were a dance,
a slow,
deliberate waltz of deception,
Daniel was on his phone constantly,
he was pacing in the hall,
he was shouting at someone,
he was frantic,
he was losing control,
I sat in the room,
I was the picture of grace,
I was the picture of patience,
I was the anchor,
I was the storm,
Marissa was pacing too,
she was looking at me,
she was trying to read me,
she was trying to see through the glass,
but she couldn't,
she was too small,
she was too petty,
she was too stupid,
"Claire,"
she finally said,
her voice a whisper,
"why are you doing this?"
"doing what?"
I asked,
my eyes wide and innocent,
"helping,"
I said,
"I am family,"
"I am here for Lily,"
she didn't buy it,
I saw the doubt in her eyes,
it was like a crack in a dam,
it was a start,
"You seem...
different,"
she said,
"you seem cold,"
I laughed,
a soft,
musical sound,
"I am tired,
Marissa,"
"my niece is dying,"
"how am I supposed to be?"
"warm?"
"happy?"
she looked away,
she couldn't hold my gaze,
she was guilty,
she was ashamed,
she was weak,
Daniel walked back in,
his face was flushed,
he looked defeated,
he looked like a man who had lost a bet,
"The surgeon,"
he started,
"he is not answering,"
"he is not calling back,"
I stood up,
I walked to the door,
"Then call the board,"
I commanded,
"call the head of the hospital,"
"use my name,"
"get it done,"
he stared at me,
he was surprised by my tone,
he was surprised by my strength,
he didn't know this woman,
he didn't know his wife,
he didn't know the monster he had created,
"Yes,"
he said,
his voice quiet,
"I will,"
he reached for his phone,
his fingers were shaking,
he was afraid,
he was finally,
truly afraid,
and I relished it,
I fed on it,
it was the nectar of the gods,
it was the taste of retribution,
"Good,"
I said,
"I am going to get coffee,"
"stay here,"
"stay with Lily,"
"don't leave her side,"
I walked out,
I didn't look back,
I didn't need to,
I could hear them breathing,
I could hear them worrying,
I could hear the walls closing in,
I was the one building the room,
I was the one locking the door,
they were inside,
and they were never coming out,
the coffee shop in the lobby was quiet,
the lighting was soft,
the smell of roasted beans was comforting,
I ordered a black coffee,
I sat in the corner,
I took out my phone,
I opened the app,
I looked at the bank account,
the numbers were moving,
they were shifting,
it was beautiful,
it was math,
it was justice,
the first wire transfer was ready,
it was time to drain the swamp,
May you like
it was time to burn the bridge,
it was time to end it all.
