Chapter 6 - Vanessa Wanted The Card Back
Vanessa came to Carol’s hotel that afternoon.
She did not apologize.
Not yet.
She came with numbers.
Their replacement hotel was expensive because they booked at the last
minute.
Meals were not included.
The private transfer was gone.
The anniversary dinner was gone.
Vanessa calculated the difference and placed her phone on the table.
“You created almost four thousand dollars in extra costs.”
Carol looked at the screen.
“No.”
Vanessa blinked.
“You removed your card.”
“Yes.”
“That caused this.”
“No. It stopped me from paying your costs.”
Vanessa crossed her arms.
“That’s semantics.”
“It’s accounting.”
Michael sat nearby.
He did not interrupt.
Carol continued.
“If I had taken money from you, that would be a cost I created. I
stopped giving you money.”
Vanessa looked at Michael.
“Are you going to let her talk to me like this?”
Michael swallowed.
Then said:
“She’s right.”
Vanessa stared.
Something shifted in the room.
For years, Michael had made conflict disappear by asking the easiest
person to bend.
Usually Carol.
Sometimes himself.
Now he did neither.
Vanessa stood.
“Fine.”
She grabbed her bag.
“Enjoy your vacation with your mother.”
May you like
Michael did not follow immediately.
That surprised everyone.
