Chapter 13 - THE LAST ATTEMPT James read the note twice.
"When was the diaper bag last out of our sight?"
We traced our movements.
The courthouse.
The doctor's office.
My parents' house.
Christmas.
We couldn't know when Lauren had placed it there.
So we documented it.
Changed the locks.
Upgraded the cameras.
Added extra security.
I hated living like we were under siege.
James took my hand.
"Precautions aren't fear."
"What are they?"
"Boundaries with hardware."
For several days, nothing happened.
Then Lauren called.
I almost ignored it.
Instead, I answered on speaker.
"Claire."
Her voice sounded tired.
"Where are you?"
"Does it matter?"
"Only if you're planning to come near Emma."
Silence.
"I didn't mean to hurt her."
"You hit her."
"I lost my temper."
"And laughed."
"I was embarrassed."
"You left her alone as a newborn."
Lauren exhaled.
"Mom told you everything."
"Enough."
"She made me this way."
There it was.
The excuse.
The escape.
I stayed calm.
"Mom enabled you."
My voice hardened.
"But she didn't move your hand."
Lauren began crying.
"You don't understand what it's like being the difficult one in this family."
"I understand what it's like being the one expected to forgive you."
Silence.
Then she asked:
"Will you ever let me see Emma again?"
I looked at James.
He didn't answer for me.
"No."
The word hurt.
But it felt clean.
Lauren's breathing changed.
Then her voice became cold.
"Then you should know I still have something that belongs to her."
The call ended.
Ten minutes later, our security camera detected movement.
A small box sat on our porch.
No delivery truck.
May you like
No driver.
Just a cardboard box in the snow.
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