Free Chain of Title by Robyn Roze, Peg Robinson, Patricia Schmitt (pickyme) Page B

life.
    Shayna’s history didn’t leave
her with much tolerance for people who refused to accept that life was paved
with bumps, potholes, and complete washouts.  Her daughter had experienced none
of those, had had it easy so far.  Apparently, too easy.
    “Daddy tried calling you last
night and so did I.  We were worried about you!  That’s why I came by—to check
on you and make sure you’re okay.  Now I know why you couldn’t be bothered to
answer your phone!”
    Shayna’s eyes pinched
together.  She had forgotten about powering off her phone yesterday.  Hadn’t
wanted any interruptions or anyone trying to talk her out of signing the
divorce papers.  Then with Sean later, well, she felt everything inside her
warm at the recent memories, she had completely forgotten about the rest of the
world.
    “I’m sorry that I worried
you, sweetheart.  That wasn’t my intention.  I had my phone off yesterday and
simply forgot to check it for messages.  That’s all.”  Shayna glimpsed the
sadness behind Danielle’s angry eyes and then shook her head.  “Why was your
father trying to call me?”
    Danielle looked at her with
slack jawed incredulity.  “Because he still loves you!  He was hoping you
wouldn’t really go through with it.  Daddy didn’t think you’d really sign those
papers when it came time.”
    Daddy .  It made Shayna cringe to hear her grown daughter
call Frank, Daddy .  Oh, Danielle was definitely Daddy’s little girl, all
right.  He could do no wrong, or at least nothing that could be seen as wrong from
below, when he was up on that high pristine white pedestal he’d been placed on
long ago.  Whereas, Mother , apparently, only served as an aggravation in
their fairytale. 
    “Your father and I’ve been
separated for three years, Dani.  My signing those papers and making official
what’s already been in place, was merely a formality.”
    “I don’t care.  I still can’t
believe you’d leave him alone like that after all those years together.  Why
couldn’t you have at least given him another chance?  Why didn’t he deserve another chance?”
    Shayna felt blindsided. 
Wow.  It was as if Frank was here and speaking through Danielle.  Her ex
certainly wasn’t wasting time turning their daughter against her.  However, she
was certain that Dani didn’t know the whole story, didn’t need to as far as
Shayna was concerned.  Even Danielle would be repulsed to find out that Daddy had been banging a girl her own age—and probably still was.  No, Mother was not going to be the one that spilled that fetid detail.
    Shayna said compassionately, “You’re
going to have to accept reality, sweetheart.  Your father and I have been
living separate lives.  We’ve moved on.  Now you need to do the same.  We’re
not getting back together, love.”  Shayna reached out to stroke Dani’s flushed
cheek, but she jerked back at the advance.
    “No, you need to
accept reality.  Daddy hasn’t moved on.  He thinks you’re just punishing
him by going through with the divorce and that you’ll come to your senses now
and realize that you’ve made a mistake.”
    Shayna’s brows knitted
together.  “ I’ve made a mistake?  Look, Danielle, I’m not going to
involve you in the details of our marriage, but just understand something:  your
father is not blameless.”
    “I know that!  He said he
messed up big.  Said it was the worst mistake he’s ever made.  Damn it,
Mom!  He loves you !  Why doesn’t that matter to you?”  Danielle stepped
further back, assessed Shayna, and then said coolly, “Maybe he’s right.  He
said it’s your mother’s fault that you’re this way.”
    Shayna felt the blood
coursing through her turn to ice.  She had talked very little over the years
about her mother to anyone.  Frank knew the details, but Danielle didn’t, at
least not from Shayna.
    Trying to maintain her
composure, she asked through gritted teeth, “And what way is