Chapter 8: The Secret My Mother Kept for Four Months
My mother's words seemed to drain the color from the room.
I stared at her.
"What account?""
Margaret looked around.
For the first time in my life, she appeared genuinely frightened of the people watching her.
"Emily, please. We need to talk privately.""
"No.""
She blinked.
"No?""
"You don't get to ask for privacy after using my identity.""
Daniel stepped between us.
"Mom, explain everything.""
Margaret looked at him.
"I was trying to help Claire.""
"By opening an account in Emily's name?""
"By giving Claire a way to manage the money.""
"Whose money?""
She didn't answer.
James interrupted.
"Mrs. Wilson, I strongly recommend that you stop discussing the financial transactions without legal representation.""
Margaret ignored him.
Then she looked at me.
"Your father left something for you.""
I froze.
My father had died six years earlier.
He had been a quiet man who repaired old radios in the garage and never raised his voice. Before he died, he had spent several months organizing his financial affairs.
My mother had always told us that everything had been divided equally.
"What's that got to do with this?""
Margaret swallowed.
"Your father left you an investment account.""
"I know. You told me it was used to pay off the house.""
"That was what I told you.""
I stared at her.
"What are you saying?""
Daniel looked between us.
"Mom, what did you do?""
Margaret lowered herself into a chair.
"The account was worth considerably more than you knew.""
My heart began pounding.
"How much?""
She didn't answer.
James opened his folder.
"According to the preliminary records I obtained this morning, the original account contained approximately $186,000.""
I grabbed the edge of the table.
"What?""
Daniel looked shocked.
"One hundred and eighty-six thousand?""
I shook my head.
"Mom told me Dad left enough to cover the mortgage and some household expenses.""
James continued.
"The account was placed into a trust with Emily as the primary beneficiary. There were restrictions on withdrawals.""
My mother interrupted.
"I was the trustee.""
James nodded.
"Yes. And the account appears to have been liquidated over several transactions.""
I couldn't breathe properly.
"How much is left?""
He looked at his paperwork.
"Approximately eleven thousand dollars.""
I felt sick.
My father had worked for thirty-seven years at an electrical supply company. He had driven the same pickup truck until the engine finally died. He repaired his own shoes and packed sandwiches for work.
He had saved that money for me.
For my future.
For Sophie.
And my mother had taken almost all of it.
Daniel approached me.
"Emily, I'm so sorry.""
I barely heard him.
I looked at Margaret.
"Where did the money go?""
She began crying.
"Some of it went toward the family.""
"What family?""
"Your brother needed help.""
Daniel immediately shook his head.
"I never asked you for that money.""
Margaret continued.
"Some went toward Claire's medical expenses.""
Claire looked up sharply.
"Margaret, don't.""
My mother ignored her.
"And some went toward my business.""
I stared.
"Your business?""
She nodded.
"Things were difficult after your father died.""
I felt tears burning behind my eyes.
"You told me there was nothing left.""
"I was trying to keep everything together.""
"You took my inheritance.""
"I raised you!""
The words came out like a weapon.
I stepped back.
"And I loved you. Does that mean I owe you everything I ever had?""
She opened her mouth.
Nothing came out.
For several seconds, the only sound was Noah making soft noises in Rachel's arms.
Then Claire stood.
"Margaret, you told me Emily's inheritance was part of the money we could use.""
I turned toward her.
"What?""
Claire looked at me.
"Your mother said the trust had already been released and that the money was available for family expenses.""
Daniel stared at Margaret.
"Did you tell Claire she could use Emily's inheritance?""
Margaret looked down.
"I was going to replace it.""
"With what?""
She didn't answer.
Claire began pacing.
"You promised me the money would be there!""
Daniel turned toward her.
"You knew she was taking my sister's inheritance?""
Claire stopped.
"I thought it was family money!""
"That's not an answer.""
My mother suddenly raised her voice.
"Both of you stop! I did what I had to do because nobody else was thinking about this family!""
Daniel shook his head.
"You keep saying family. But every decision you made hurt someone in this family.""
Margaret looked at him.
"I was protecting you.""
"From what? Being a father?""
She began crying again.
Then James received a call.
He stepped into the hallway.
When he returned, he looked directly at me.
"Emily, I need to ask you something.""
"What?""
"Did your father ever tell you that he had placed a second asset into the trust?""
I frowned.
"No.""
James opened his briefcase and removed a photocopy of an older document.
It contained my father's signature.
Beneath it was a reference to a property in Fort Worth.
I stared.
"What property?""
James answered carefully.
"A small commercial building your father purchased years before his death. It was transferred into the trust along with the investment account.""
My mother suddenly stood.
"That property doesn't belong to her.""
James looked at her.
"According to the deed, it does.""
Daniel took the paper.
"How much is it worth?""
James turned a page.
"The current estimated value is approximately $640,000.""
My knees almost gave way.
My mother looked furious.
"That building was supposed to stay in the family!""
I stared at her.
"Why did you tell me Dad sold it?""
Margaret's mouth trembled.
Then she looked toward Claire.
May you like
And Claire whispered something that none of us expected.
"Because she already sold it.""
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