Chapter 6 - The First Time Chloe Asked Me About a Postnuptial Agreement, I Missed the Real Question
Six months before the terminal, Chloe called me.
“Mom, are postnups normal?”
I stopped what I was doing.
“Normal is not a legal category.”
She sighed.
“There she is.”
I smiled.
Then:
“Why?”
“Marcus brought it up.”
“What would it do?”
“He says just clarify the house.”
I felt immediate concern.
“Clarify how?”
“He says because I used Dad’s money for the down payment, we should put percentages on paper.”
That actually sounded potentially beneficial to:
Chloe.
I asked:
“Has an attorney reviewed it for you?”
“No.”
“Then do not sign anything without independent counsel.”
“I know.”
“Do you want a referral?”
Silence.
Then:
“No.”
I should have asked:
Why is Marcus suddenly changing ownership expectations?
Instead I respected:
no.
Several weeks later Chloe said:
“We dropped it.”
I felt relieved.
The truth?
Marcus had not dropped:
anything.
He shifted tactics.
He wanted Chloe to sign a home-equity line that would consolidate:
his personal debt,
joint credit cards,
and approximately $74,000 tied to a failed investment with a friend.
Chloe refused.
That refusal began the last phase of:
May you like
their marriage.
---
