Chapter 15 - The Ultimatum
Three days after Christmas, I drove to Diane’s house alone.
The suburban neighborhood was decorated with bright lights and festive wreaths, but Diane’s house was completely dark, save for one lamp burning in the front window. I parked my car in the driveway and walked up to the door. I did not knock. I rang the bell once and waited.
Diane opened the door slowly. She looked entirely diminished. She had lost weight, and the arrogant, commanding posture she had maintained for years was gone. She looked like an old, incredibly tired woman.
"Ethan," she whispered, her eyes widening in surprise.
"I am not here for a social visit," I said, refusing to step inside. "I am here to deliver a message from Natalie."
Diane clutched the edge of the door frame. "Please, tell me how she is. How are the babies?"
"The babies are thriving," I replied coldly. "They are surrounded by people who love them fiercely. People who do not view their existence as a problem to be solved."
Diane flinched, looking down at her slippers. "I know I deserve that. My therapist has helped me realize how deeply I internalized my grandparents' racism. I hated myself for so long, Ethan. I hated the part of me that belonged to Isaiah. And when I saw Maya, I reacted out of pure, hateful terror. I know apologizing does not fix the damage."
"No, it does not," I agreed. "But Natalie has made a decision. In exactly six months, we will be celebrating Caleb and Maya’s first birthday. We are hosting a large party at our home. Marcus Cole, Beatrice Cole, and their entire extended family will be in attendance. They are our family now."
Diane’s breath caught in her throat. The thought of facing the people she had tried to erase was clearly terrifying to her.
"Natalie wants you to write a letter," I continued. "Not an email. Not a text. A handwritten letter directly to Maya. You will explain exactly what you did in the delivery room. You will explain why you did it. You will take absolute accountability for your racism and your fear. You will acknowledge Isaiah Cole as your father. If you deliver that letter to us, and if Natalie believes it is genuinely remorseful, you will be permitted to attend the birthday party. You will sit in the same room as the Cole family. And you will begin the process of earning the right to be a grandmother."
Diane stared at me, tears streaming down her hollow cheeks.
"If you refuse, or if you cause a single scene," I finished, "you will never see us again. This is your final chance."
May you like
"I will write it," Diane choked out, nodding frantically. "I will do whatever she asks. Please, tell her I will do it."
I turned around and walked back to my car without another word. The ball was in her court.
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