She set the bags down.
“And keeping it?”
Claire hesitated. “Is complicated.”
“Only for you.”
That hit something. She didn’t argue, just nodded once and left.
“I’m not here to argue.
***
Mark came the following day.
No gifts. No soft tone.
“You’re not seriously thinking of keeping it,” he said.
“I haven’t decided yet.”
“This isn’t what he would’ve wanted.”
I almost laughed.
“He literally said what he wanted.”
“You don’t know what state he was in,” Mark shot back.
“I know he was clear enough to choose,” I said.
“I haven’t decided yet.
Mark paced on my porch.
“You’re taking something that belongs to us.”
“Your father gave me a choice. That’s different.”
He stopped. Looked at me.
“You’re going to regret this.”
I didn’t respond.
So he just walked off.
***
The following morning, I called Thomas and asked to see inside Arthur’s house one more time.
He obliged.
