Chapter 13 - DINNERLawson finally found a restaurant he did not own.
Clara arrived late.
He was offended.
“You made me wait.”
“Character development.”
They ordered.
No bodyguards inside.
No private booth.
Lawson kept checking exits.
Clara noticed.
“Relax.”
“I am relaxed.”
“You’ve scanned the room seventeen times.”
“Habit.”
They talked about everything except the twins initially.
Clara’s work.
Lawson’s legitimate businesses.
Mara.
His late wife, Evelyn.
The woman he had barely spoken about.
Clara asked:
“Did you love her?”
“Yes.”
“Then why does nobody say her name?”
Lawson stared.
Because grief had turned her into a locked room.
He told Clara.
Evelyn died after complications following the twins’ birth.
Lawson had blamed himself.
The children.
Doctors.
Everyone.
Clara listened.
No fixing.
Finally Lawson said:
“I think I love you.”
Clara smiled.
“That is very inconvenient.”
“Mara would approve.”
Clara’s eyes filled.
“Don’t use my dead sister to win arguments.”
“Fair.”
Then she took his hand.
Not forever.
May you like
Not ownership.
Just dinner.
