“I know.”
“I’ve been working for this.”
“I know.”
Ethan shook his head.
“No, you don’t.”
That hurt Daniel.
I saw it.
But he accepted it.
Because at that moment, Ethan was allowed to be angry at both of them.
One for taking the money.
One for not knowing.
Lily sat at the kitchen table.
Tears rolled silently down her face.
I went to her.
She leaned against me.
Her body felt small.
Fourteen.
Far too young to be thinking about custodial accounts and household deception.
She whispered, “Was Grandpa’s money in mine too?”
I closed my eyes.
“Yes.”
“How much?”
“I don’t remember exactly.”
“Did Mom spend that too?”
Rebecca made a sound.
“Lily…”
My granddaughter looked at me.
I could not lie to protect her from a truth she was already living inside.
“Yes,” I said.
Lily began to cry harder.
Rebecca moved forward.
“I will put it back.”
Ethan looked at her.
“When?”
“I will.”
“When?”
“Ethan—”
“You keep saying that.”
His voice rose.
“When?”
Rebecca had no answer.
I looked at Daniel.
“This cannot stay inside this kitchen.”
Rebecca stared at me.
“What does that mean?”
“It means we document everything.”
Her fear returned immediately.
“We don’t need lawyers.”
I hadn’t said lawyers.
Daniel noticed.
“So you’ve thought about lawyers.”
“I’m saying we can handle this as a family.”
“You slapped my mother because she brought a statement into this house.”
“I lost control.”
“You lied to me for years.”
“I was going to fix it.”
“You took from both children.”
“I said I’ll replace it!”
“With what money, Rebecca?”
She froze.
