Chapter 18 - EVELYN CALLS
I almost declined the call.
Then I accepted.
"Rebecca."
Her voice sounded smaller through the jail phone.
"What do you want?"
"To explain."
"No."
Silence.
"You don't want to know why?"
"I know why. You wanted control."
"You think it's that simple?"
"I think complicated reasons can still produce simple choices. You chose to hurt people."
Her breathing changed.
For a moment, I heard the old Evelyn—the woman who could make a room obey her by sharpening one word.
"Daniel will come back to me," she said.
"Maybe."
That surprised her.
"You aren't afraid?"
"No. Because if he does, that's his choice. And then I'll know who he is."
She was quiet.
"Walter is weak," she whispered. "Daniel is weak. Men like that need women like me."
"No. They used you as an excuse not to grow up. And you used their weakness as permission to become cruel."
The line went silent again.
Then she said the one thing I did not expect.
"I hated you because Daniel listened to you."
I closed my eyes.
"He didn't listen to me when it mattered."
"But he could have. Eventually. That's what frightened me."
"I'm not taking him from you," I said. "He's not an object."
"You always thought you were better than me."
"No. I just wanted you to stop hurting me."
The call timer announced sixty seconds remaining.
Evelyn's voice hardened.
"If you testify, I'll make sure everyone knows every mistake you've ever made."
I laughed softly.
"That's the difference between us."
"What?"
"I'm not afraid of being imperfect."
The line disconnected.
Walter was still standing near Samuel's old desk.
"Well?" he asked.
I looked at the ethics-office proposal.
"I'll consider the job."
Then I added, "But only if the office reports to the full board, not to you."
Walter smiled for the first time in days.
"Good."
Outside, Daniel was waiting by my car.
He held no flowers.
No speech.
Just a set of apartment keys.
May you like
"I'm ready to sign the lease over to you," he said.
And I realized he might finally understand what an apology costs.
