Chapter 7 - DIANE’S PART
Diane had always protected Karen differently than Ben.
That was the family’s oldest wound.
Ben was competent.
So Diane worried less.
Karen was volatile.
So Diane cushioned more.
When Karen lost her job, Diane knew.
She gave her $8,000.
Karen made her promise not to tell Ben.
Diane agreed.
When Karen asked whether Silver Lake might eventually be divided, Diane said:
“I’ve always thought your grandfather should have split it.”
That sentence became gasoline.
Karen later claimed her mother had “basically agreed” she deserved income from the property.
Diane never agreed to rentals.
But she fed the grievance.
At a family meeting two days after the barbecue, Ben asked:
“Did you know?”
“No.”
“Did you suspect?”
Diane looked down.
“I knew she stayed there when the calendar said it was empty.”
Sarah closed her eyes.
“How often?”
“I didn’t count.”
“Mom,” Ben said quietly, “how many times did you cover for her?”
Diane began crying.
There were three weekends when Sarah asked who had used the cottage because towels were missing or propane tanks were empty.
Diane said she had.
She hadn’t.
Karen asked her to lie because she “needed space.”
Diane did.
Not knowing strangers were involved.
Still lying.
Ben leaned back.
“Why?”
Diane gave the answer mothers like her often give.
“She was struggling.”
“And I wasn’t allowed to know?”
“She was embarrassed.”
“So you made her embarrassment more important than my right to know who was in my house.”
Diane flinched.
“Yes.”
Truth.
Small.
Necessary.
Then Tyler spoke from the couch.
“Grandma knew Mom made me clean.”
Everyone turned.
Diane looked horrified.
“No. I knew you helped her.”
“She said you knew.”
Another manipulation.
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Karen had used Diane as authority the same way she used Tyler’s feelings against Ella.
Everyone existed as leverage.
