Chapter 4: The Secret My Mother Took to Her Grave
The front door opened before my father could finish his sentence.
Vanessa stood in the hallway with her purse hanging from one shoulder and her car keys clenched in her fist. She had apparently decided that leaving was easier than answering questions.
But when she saw the letter on the kitchen table, she stopped.
For one brief second, the color drained from her face.
Then she recovered.
"What is that?"" she demanded.
I pulled the letter closer to my chest.
"Something Mom left me.""
Vanessa's eyes fixed on the yellow envelope displayed on Dad's phone.
"Where did you get that?""
"The dealership found it in Mom's car," Dad replied.
"The car you sold without permission.""
She took another step into the kitchen.
"Michael, you need to understand that Sarah wasn't thinking clearly toward the end. She was on medication. She was frightened. She wrote all kinds of things.""
My father stood.
"Don't you dare use her illness to explain away what you've done.""
Vanessa's lips tightened.
"I'm trying to protect this family.""
"No," I said.
"You're trying to protect yourself.""
She turned on me.
"You have no idea what you're talking about.""
"Then tell me what Mom meant when she wrote that you might try to get your hands on something she left me.""
The silence was immediate.
Vanessa looked at Dad, then at the letter.
For the first time since she'd entered our lives, she seemed unable to find a single sentence that could make her sound reasonable.
Dad picked up the original title.
"I'm calling Sarah's attorney.""
"You can't do that," Vanessa blurted.
Both of us stared at her.
Dad's voice dropped.
"Why not?""
She pressed her lips together.
"Because this is a private family matter.""
"Sarah's attorney is the person who prepared her estate documents. If there's something we need to know, he's exactly who we should call.""
Vanessa put her purse on the counter.
"Michael, please. Think about what you're doing. You're letting Emily turn you against your wife over a misunderstanding.""
Dad didn't even look at her.
He searched for the attorney's number on his phone and dialed.
A receptionist answered. After Dad explained who he was and why he was calling, she placed him on hold.
Vanessa began pacing.
Her heels clicked sharply against the kitchen floor.
When the attorney finally answered, Dad put the call on speaker.
"Mr. Bennett, I'm Michael Carter. You handled my late wife's estate.""
"I remember you, Michael. Is everything all right?""
"No. My daughter has a letter from Sarah suggesting there was something in her estate that she feared someone might try to take. We need to understand what she meant.""
There was a long pause.
Then Mr. Bennett asked, "Is Emily with you?""
I leaned toward the phone.
"I'm here.""
"Emily, do you still have the silver Toyota Camry your mother gave you?""
My throat tightened.
"Someone sold it yesterday. Without my permission.""
Another pause.
This one felt different.
"Who sold it?"" he asked.
"My stepmother.""
Vanessa abruptly stopped pacing.
Mr. Bennett exhaled.
"I see.""
Dad gripped the edge of the counter.
"Mr. Bennett, what did Sarah leave Emily?""
"I cannot discuss every detail of the estate without reviewing the file and confirming the relevant documents. However, I can tell you this much: Sarah established a trust for Emily before her death.""
I stared at the phone.
"A trust?""
"Yes. It was designed to provide for your education and future financial security. The assets were placed under independent administration, and Sarah specified that certain information was to remain confidential until Emily reached twenty-one or an event occurred that required earlier disclosure.""
Dad's face changed.
"What kind of event?""
Mr. Bennett hesitated.
"An attempt to misappropriate Emily's property could qualify, depending on the circumstances. I will need to examine the documents before making a formal determination.""
I looked at Vanessa.
She was staring at the floor.
"How much money is in the trust?"" I asked.
"That information will be provided to you through the proper process. I don't want to give you an inaccurate figure over the telephone.""
Dad leaned forward.
"Did Vanessa know about it?""
"I cannot answer that without reviewing the file. But Sarah was very specific about who was authorized to access the trust.""
Vanessa suddenly grabbed the phone.
"This is absurd! Sarah never trusted me, and you know that. She was jealous of my relationship with Michael!""
Mr. Bennett's voice became firm.
"Mrs. Carter, I did not say anything about you.""
She froze.
"I—"
"If you have questions concerning the estate, I suggest you direct them through the appropriate legal channels. I will not discuss confidential information with an unauthorized party.""
Dad took the phone back.
"Mr. Bennett, can you meet us tomorrow?""
"Yes. Bring the original letter, the vehicle title, and any documents associated with the sale. I would also recommend preserving all communications related to the transaction.""
When the call ended, the kitchen seemed smaller than before.
I sat down slowly.
My mother had created a trust for me, and somehow, even after four years, Vanessa's reaction suggested she knew more than she was willing to admit.
Brittany appeared at the foot of the stairs.
"Mom?""
Vanessa spun around.
"Go to your room.""
"But—"
"Now!""
Brittany disappeared upstairs.
Dad turned toward his wife.
"Did you know about Sarah's trust?""
Vanessa folded her arms.
"No.""
"Then why did you react like that when I mentioned the attorney?""
"Because you were about to involve lawyers in a family argument!""
"You forged Emily's signature.""
"I didn't forge anything!""
"Then why does the dealership have a document bearing a signature Emily says she never made?""
Vanessa's eyes filled with tears, but there was no sadness in them.
Only anger.
"After everything I've sacrificed for this family, you're treating me like a criminal.""
Dad shook his head.
"I don't know what to call you yet.""
She stared at him.
Then she picked up her purse.
"I'm going to my sister's.""
"Fine," Dad replied.
Her mouth fell open.
"You're not going to stop me?""
"No. But don't take anything that belongs to Emily, and don't destroy or remove any documents connected to the car sale.""
Vanessa's face hardened.
"You'll regret this, Michael.""
She stormed out.
The front door slammed so violently that a framed photograph rattled on the wall.
I stared at the photograph.
It showed Mom, Dad, and me at the beach on my sixteenth birthday. Mom was laughing, her hair blowing across her face. Dad had one arm around her waist, and I was standing between them with sand on my shoes.
For years, I'd thought of that photograph as proof of what I'd lost.
Now I wondered what Mom had known that the rest of us hadn't.
Dad came to stand beside me.
"We'll figure it out," he promised.
I nodded, but my eyes returned to the letter.
There was something written on the back that we hadn't noticed.
A single line, faintly visible beneath the fold.
Michael must never discover the account until I know whether Vanessa has already found it.
I looked at my father.
He read the sentence once.
Then again.
May you like
And when he finally raised his eyes to mine, I realized that my mother's secret might be more complicated than either of us had imagined.
Because if she'd been worried about Vanessa finding an account before she died, why had she mentioned keeping it hidden from Dad, too?
