Chapter 12 - THE SMear CAMPAIGN
Rain hammered Chicago.
Only half the children arrived at the center.
Claire stood by the window.
She watched parents hurry away.
Lily tugged at her sleeve.
"Mommy?"
Claire turned.
Lily held up a drawing.
A tornado.
Two small figures stood inside it, holding hands.
"Why aren't the kids coming anymore?"
Claire crouched.
"We didn't do anything wrong."
"Then why are people angry?"
"Sometimes people believe things that aren't true."
Lily looked at the drawing.
"Are we going to get blown away?"
Claire hugged her.
"No."
"Why?"
"Because our house is made of bricks."
Lily smiled.
"And love."
Claire's eyes burned.
"And love."
That night, Claire sat on the floor surrounded by financial records.
The legal bills were growing.
The donations were disappearing.
The center was bleeding money.
Marcus found her crying.
"I can't lose her."
"You won't."
"I can't let Eleanor win."
Marcus sat beside her.
"Then we don't fight her with emotion."
He looked at the paperwork.
"We fight her with evidence."
Claire wiped her tears.
"Find me the truth."
Marcus nodded.
May you like
"We will."
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