Three Breakdowns A Year Was All I Was Allowed novel · Chapter 23 of 24
Chapter 23: Terms
The house looked the same from the street, which seemed unfair.
Same gray siding, same wreath on the door, same lamp left on in the front window by someone who liked to be seen coming home.
Luther parked at the curb, and Shanna got out of the back seat in her scrubs.
"Not alone," she said to the front door. "Never alone."
Christian opened it himself.
He wore a pressed shirt, with no jacket and no notebook.
A thin man in a dark suit stood behind him in the hall and did not offer a hand.
"My attorney," Christian said. "Thank you for coming."
"I'm here for twenty minutes," I said.
We sat at the dining table where I had once served lamb to a dozen guests.
The attorney slid a folder across to me.
"Dr. Pelham has instructed me to concede the following," he said. "The house is transferred to Ms. Carrow, free of debt. The joint accounts are restored to her, with half the balance as of last spring."
"The sketchbooks," I said.
"Returned. The galleys are to be pulped, the digital files deleted, and the publisher has already agreed in writing to the withdrawal. The state licensing board opened a file this morning. Dr. Pelham will surrender his practice voluntarily pending its review."
Christian sat with his hands folded on the table.
He had not said one thing since we sat down.
"And the ultrasound," I said.
"It is in the folder."
I opened it.
The picture was there, in its paper envelope, with Pia's yellow flag still stuck to the corner.
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