Chapter 5 - The Uninvited Dinner Guest
Clara moved toward the kitchen before Marcus could react. She flipped on the exterior floodlights. Through the reinforced glass of the French patio doors stood Penny, wearing an oversized faux-fur coat over stained sweatpants, mascara smeared beneath her swollen eyes. Beside her, Eleanor stood like a general directing an assault.
Marcus rushed behind Clara, putting a hand on her arm. "Don't open it."
"Why not?" Clara pulled her arm free, glaring at him. "Your investments are at the door. Let’s welcome them."
Clara unlocked the deadbolt and pulled the door open. A blast of cold night air flooded the kitchen, carrying the harsh smell of cheap menthol cigarettes.
"Marcus!" Penny wailed, pushing past Clara without a second glance. She threw her arms around her brother’s neck, weeping loudly into his starched shirt. "They said it wasn't enough! The agency said there was a penalty fee of another twelve hundred dollars, or they're bringing the flatbed anyway!"
Eleanor stepped in behind her, shutting the door firmly and turning the lock with an authoritative click. She looked around Clara's clean, modern kitchen with open disdain.
"You shorted them, Marcus," Eleanor said smoothly, pulling off her leather gloves. "The tow truck is idling at the end of Penny's street. You need to wire the balance right now."
Marcus peeled his sobbing sister off his chest, his eyes darting frantically between Eleanor and Clara. "Penny, stop crying. I wired the exact payoff figure the agent quoted me over the phone."
"They added the impound storage fee from last month!" Penny shrieked, clutching his sleeve. "If they take it, I’ll die, Marcus! That car was Daddy’s favorite thing! You promised Daddy you’d protect me!"
Clara stood by the island, watching the three of them. It was a well-rehearsed theater production, executed with grotesque precision.
"Get out," Clara said, her voice cutting through Penny’s hysterics like a scalpel.
Eleanor turned slowly, her gaze narrowing into slits. "Excuse me?"
"You heard me," Clara said, walking over to the sink. "Take your manufactured crisis and get out of my house."
Penny gasped, turning to Marcus with dramatic horror. "Marcus! Look how she talks to Mom!"
Marcus stepped forward, placing himself between Clara and his family. His face was flushed with embarrassment and anger. "Clara, go upstairs. Now. Let me handle this."
"No," Clara said softly, picking up her phone from the counter. "You don't handle things, Marcus. You surrender to them. But I won't."
May you like
She dialed three digits and held the screen up for all three of them to see.
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