Chapter 20: The Board Meeting

Joan had told me everything in the lobby at one in the morning, sitting on a velvet bench in her slippers.

Bryce had asked her to come on Monday.

He wanted her in the front row, so she could watch him take the chair.

"He said it would be the last time anybody called his father a failure," she told me.

"What did you say?"

"I said I'd be there. Just not on his side."

I had put a coat round her shoulders and had the kitchen send up tea.

On Monday at ten, she walked into the boardroom beside me.

It was the long room on the thirtieth floor, with a table of dark walnut and eleven leather chairs.

My father's chair sat at the head.

I had not sat in it since the funeral.

Eli stood at my left shoulder with a folder under his arm.

Joan took the empty chair at my right, in her grey cardigan with the pearl buttons, her tote bag on her knees.

The directors came in one by one.

Four of them nodded to me.

Six of them did not meet my eyes.

The chairman came last, holding a cup of coffee.

He gave me the same soft smile he had given me since I was nine.

"Hannah," he said. "I'm glad you're here. This is a hard morning for everyone."

"Is it?"

"Please sit down."

"I'll stand," I said.

He cleared his throat and took the chair opposite mine.

"We are here at the request of a majority of the board to consider a motion about the beneficiary's capacity."

He glanced at the door.

"Before we begin, I'd like to invite Mr. Bryce Danner to address us."

The door opened.

Bryce came in wearing the charcoal suit and a fresh white shirt.

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