Both worlds required discipline.
Only one respected me for bringing it.
At 1800 that evening, after six hours of command briefings, Lenora arrived at the visitor center carrying two protective-order petitions and a folder thicker than my hand.
“They began preparing this eighteen months ago.”
Inside were powers of attorney, false medical affidavits, draft resignation letters, retirement-benefit assignments, and another attempted transfer of the home.
Eighteen months.
Every argument in which Daniel called me unstable.
Every dinner when Marjorie suggested military service had made me cold.
Every apology I offered just to restore peace.
It had all been preparation.
“They planned the attack for the night before your reporting date,” Lenora said. “They believed the humiliation would keep you from taking command.”
“They were wrong.”
“There is video.”
I became still.
“Our security system uploaded footage before Daniel disabled it.”
The recording showed Marjorie entering with the clippers.
Daniel standing in the doorway.
