Chapter 4
"What paperwork?"
Daniel was already at the foot of the stairs.
"I'll explain upstairs."
I followed him into the study.
He picked up a folder beside the printer, opened it on the desk, and pulled out several sheets of paper.
The first page listed the car's model, with the familiar vehicle identification number underneath.
I'd checked it digit by digit when I went over the purchase receipt last night.
"These are for the title transfer." He pointed at the pages. "I marked the places where you need to sign."
Yellow sticky notes were attached along the edges of the papers.
I turned a page and saw a copy of Ryan's driver's license. Below that were his address and phone number.
"When did he give you these?"
"Yesterday."
When I got home from work yesterday, Daniel told me picking up the car had gone smoothly and that he'd collected all the paperwork for me.
I thanked him, since it meant I wouldn't have to take another half day off work.
"So you were printing these yesterday."
He pulled out the chair.
"Sit down and look them over."
I didn't sit. The corner of a quote tucked behind the last page was sticking out, so I pulled it free.
It listed the insurance coverage and costs.
"What's this?"
"A quote for the new insurance policy. It hasn't been set up yet."
"Who's paying for it?"
He reached for the paper, but I moved it away.
"I asked who's paying for it."
"We'll pay for the first year. They'll have expenses when the baby is born, and Ryan hasn't been getting much overtime lately."
I looked at the upper-right corner of the quote.
Daniel had written a note there: Joint account. Annual payment.
"You decided this too?"
"Nothing's been charged yet."
"When you were discussing this, did anyone say you should ask me?"
He pushed the chair back under the desk.
"Laura, it's not like all the money is being spent today."
"The car, the insurance. What else?"
"Nothing."
I stared at him.
He frowned and looked away.
"Don't make helping family sound so bad."
"I never agreed to give them the car, and I never agreed to pay their insurance either."
"Then what do you expect me to do?"
He tapped the folder with the back of his hand.
"They don't have a car anymore. Someone has to deal with this."
"You promised them. You deal with it."
"We've been married sixteen years, and now you're drawing lines between what's yours and what's mine?"
I looked down at the papers.
For three years, every time I got paid for a side job, I set some of it aside.
When we had to replace the water heater, I took some money out of my car fund, which pushed the purchase back by two months.
At the time, he said a few more days wouldn't matter.
Now Ryan's car had only been gone for a day, and he couldn't wait any longer.
"I'm not signing these."
Daniel was silent for a moment.
Carol's voice came from downstairs.
"Are you done yet? It'll be dark soon, and we still haven't taken pictures by the car."
"Almost," Daniel called toward the door.
I looked at him.
"Didn't you hear what I said?"
He uncapped the pen and set it in front of me.
"Sign them, then come downstairs. Everyone's waiting."
The tip of the pen scraped a thin blue line across the paper beside the yellow sticky note.
He pushed the documents toward me.
"Don't make them come upstairs and beg you."
I didn't touch the pen.
A small box from the dealership sat on the edge of the desk. The lid wasn't fully closed, and the metal ring of the main key was visible inside.
Daniel followed my gaze.
I put the insurance quote back in the folder and reached for the box.
"What are you taking that for?" he asked.