The Love I Buried With My Grandma Chapter 06

The Love I Buried With My Grandma Chapter 06

My fists clenched so hard my nails cut into my palms.

That report came from the loss of our first child.

An eight-month pregnancy. Gone. Because of Chloe.

Eight months along, and Chloe had shoved her into losing it.

I’d spent days sitting numbly, cradling the little doll I’d bought for the baby.

Daniel had held me while I cried.

“Nora, it’s okay. We’ll have another one.”

He’d taken me to a doctor Chloe recommended, and that’s how this diagnosis came to exist.

Because of that report, I’d been on medication for months.

And it was part of why I missed the crucial window for Grandma’s treatment.

Daniel once swore he’d never let anyone see that report, not even if it killed him.

And now, once again, he’d driven the blade straight into my chest.

I thought it would hurt.

Instead, all I felt was-of course.

I pulled the corner of my mouth into something like a smile, and pulled up the video of Chloe taunting Grandma, along with the form for claiming the body.

“You should’ve died sooner!”

Chloe’s voice rang out across the entire gallery.

Every eye in the room turned on her with disgust, sharp as needles, until she screamed.

“That’s impossible! How could you possibly have-”

Chloe stopped herself too late, realizing what she’d just admitted.

She turned instinctively to Daniel-and met his furious stare.

“You lied to me?!”

The mourners finally couldn’t hold back and surged forward.

“You two are garbage!”

“She was in her eighties! You’te lucky she’s not haunting you right now!”

By the time it was over, Daniel and Chloe both had bloodied faces.

I walked up and stood before them.

“Chloe. Do you know how long a sentence for murder?”

She glared at me, venomous.

“So what if there’s a video? I just said a few true things! She died-what’s that got to do with-!”

Crack.

A slap rang out, sharp enough to silence the entire room.

“Chloe. You’re the one who should be dead.”

I grabbed her by the collar and looked down at her.

“I’ve already called the police. Save your energy for finding yourself a lawyer.”

Mark arrived just then. He handed me the divorce papers.

“Miss Whitfield. Here’s what you asked for.”

I signed it and threw it down in front of Daniel, my voice level.

“Daniel. Sign it. You walk away with nothing.”

At the word divorce, Daniel’s head snapped up.

“No-Nora, I don’t want a divorce. From the beginning to now, you’re the only one I’ve ever loved,”

“Get back the money I spent on Chloe, and let’s start over. Please?

Chloe stared at him, disbelieving.

“Daniel? You said you’d be good to me forever!”

Daniel ignored her, looking at me instead, eyes full of pleading.

I met their stares evenly, and said, one word at a time.

“No. Not. Possible.”

The police arrived fast, and Chloe was taken away.

As she went, she screamed for Daniel to save her.

But Daniel didn’t even look up.

He was on his knees.before Grandma’s urn, bowing again and again.

His forehead began to bleed. He didn’t stop.

I watched, cold, and I didn’t stop him.

This was what he owed her.

“Nora… give me one more chance.”

His eyes were rimmed red. He’d been crying.

“I just took a wrong turn. Everyone makes mistakes.”

A shadow of the old painting fell across his face, his features dim and unreadable.

For one moment, it felt like we were back at the very beginning.

I’d gone to the old bakery on Elm Street to buy Grandma’s favorite rolls, and turned the corner right into

Daniel, sketching a stray cat.

He’d been warm as spring back then, his eyes clear, his smile easy.

Even the sunlight seemed to dim a little next to him.

Now, looking into those same eyes, all I saw was resentment and calculation.

I held Grandma’s memorial photo up in front of him and asked:

“The night I called you begging for money-did you give Grandma a chance?”

My voice was quiet. But it landed heavy.

Heavy enough that Daniel couldn’t lift his head.

He was crying. I didn’t stop.

“You didn’t. You said it was just her old condition acting up. You told her to wait.”

I walked away.

Daniel’s forehead kept striking the ground behind me.

He never stopped.