Chapter 20: The Name

I took the pen.

My father watched me do it and almost smiled.

I drew one straight line through the order he had written, from the top of the page to the bottom.

His smile stopped.

"Cecelia."

"I'll write my own," I said. "The key holder signs for the office. That's the rule you wrote."

I turned the sheet over and wrote on the back, in the clear, square hand I use for drug doses.

The room waited.

I could hear the pen scratch, and a gull somewhere outside the windows.

When I finished, I slid the sheet to the chair of the board.

"Please read it out," I said.

She put on her glasses.

"First," she read. "Danielle Lorring is entered in the registry of this family as the daughter of Martin Cranmer, from the day of her birth.

"She holds a seat on this board."

Danielle made a sound, very small.

"Second. The seat carries no vote for five years."

A man at the far end nodded.

"Third. Ms. Lorring will repay in full what the Harbor Club wedding cost.

"She will do it from her own wages, and she will not draw on the family for it."

Danielle's face went red.

"Fourth. She will apologize in person to the nurses on Ms. Cranmer's floor at the children's hospital.

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