Chapter 2: The Letters Hidden in Her Drawer
My father didn't shout.
That was what frightened Denise most.
He simply stood in the hallway, holding the document between two fingers, staring at the signature that someone had copied in his name.
"Denise," he said quietly, "explain this.""
She let out a nervous laugh.
"Marcus, you're misunderstanding. We talked about rearranging the rooms. You said Brianna needed more space.""
"I asked whether we should consider changing the bedrooms. I never signed an agreement.""
Denise reached for the paper.
"Well, maybe you forgot.""
Dad pulled it away.
"I don't forget signing legal documents.""
Brianna appeared behind her mother.
"Can we please stop making this such a big deal? I just wanted a nicer room.""
Dad looked at her.
"Then why is Maya's property in the hallway?""
Brianna crossed her arms.
"Because Mom said I could have it.""
"That wasn't my question.""
She looked down.
I was still holding the broken photograph.
Dad finally noticed the blood running from a small cut on my finger.
His expression softened immediately.
"Baby, what happened to your hand?""
I tried to answer, but my voice cracked.
"She broke Mom's picture.""
Dad looked at the frame.
The photograph was bent, and a long crack ran across the glass.
He took it carefully from me.
For several seconds, he just stared at my mother's face.
Then he closed his eyes.
"Where did this happen?""
"Right here.""
He turned toward Brianna.
"Did you break this?""
Brianna glanced at Denise.
"It was an accident.""
"Did you break it?""
"She was pulling it away from me!""
Dad looked at Denise.
"And you?""
Denise sighed dramatically.
"Marcus, please. Maya became aggressive. Brianna was only trying to move her belongings.""
I couldn't believe she was still doing it.
Dad placed the photograph on the hallway table.
"Everybody stop talking.""
He turned toward me.
"Go wash your hand. I'll come upstairs in a minute.""
I didn't want to leave him alone with them.
But he gave me a reassuring nod.
I went to the bathroom.
As I washed the tiny pieces of glass from my finger, I heard his voice rising from the hallway.
"She has lived in that bedroom for nine years. You don't get to throw her belongings into the hallway without telling me.""
Denise answered sharply.
"You're making it sound cruel. Brianna needs that room.""
"And Maya doesn't?""
"She's almost eighteen. She can manage downstairs.""
I stared at myself in the mirror.
Almost eighteen.
Apparently, that meant I no longer deserved a bedroom.
A few minutes later, Dad knocked.
"Can I come in?""
I opened the door.
He crouched slightly to examine my finger.
"Does it hurt?""
"A little.""
"I'm sorry, sweetheart.""
He wrapped a small bandage around it.
Then he asked the question I had been afraid to answer.
"Did Denise tell you I agreed to this?""
I nodded.
"She showed me the paper.""
Dad's jaw tightened.
"That's not my signature.""
"I know.""
He looked into my eyes.
"There's something else, isn't there?""
I hesitated.
"Brianna said the basement was already prepared.""
Dad slowly stood.
"Show me.""
We walked downstairs.
The basement contained an old sofa bed, two plastic storage bins, and a small desk pushed against the water heater.
My schoolbooks were already stacked there.
A folded blanket sat on the mattress.
Dad looked around.
"This was arranged before today?""
"I think so.""
He ran his hand over the desk.
"How long have they been planning this?""
"I don't know.""
He turned toward the stairs.
"Stay here for a minute.""
But I followed him back upstairs.
I wasn't going to let anyone decide my future behind a closed door again.
When we reached the master bedroom, Denise was standing beside her dresser.
Dad pointed at the document.
"Where did you get this?""
"I prepared it.""
"Using my signature?""
"I thought you wouldn't mind.""
"That isn't an answer.""
She put down her coffee.
"Marcus, Brianna has been struggling. Her college applications haven't gone the way we hoped. She needs a fresh start.""
I frowned.
"What does my bedroom have to do with her college applications?""
Denise ignored me.
Dad didn't.
"Explain.""
Denise rubbed her forehead.
"Your daughter has always had everything. The bigger bedroom. The sentimental decorations.
All the attention because of her mother. Brianna deserves something too.""
My chest tightened.
"My mother is dead. I didn't choose that.""
Denise looked at me coldly.
"Nobody is blaming you for that.""
But her expression said something different.
Dad stepped closer.
"That's enough.""
He glanced toward the dresser.
A drawer was slightly open.
Inside, I noticed several white envelopes.
My name was printed on them.
MAYA CARTER.
I recognized the university logos immediately.
They were college admissions letters.
"Those are mine," I whispered.
I moved toward the dresser.
Denise stepped in front of me.
"Don't touch my things.""
Dad looked at the envelopes.
"Why are Maya's college letters in your drawer?""
Denise's face went blank.
"They were delivered here by mistake.""
I stared at her.
"They weren't.""
I recognized the thick envelope from Whitmore University. I had been checking the mailbox every afternoon for weeks.
"That one was supposed to arrive last month.""
Dad reached for the drawer.
Denise grabbed his wrist.
"Marcus, please. Not now.""
He pulled free.
Then he opened it.
There were more envelopes underneath.
Acceptance letters.
Financial aid notices.
Scholarship notifications.
All addressed to me.
Some were unopened.
Others had been carefully opened and resealed.
Dad lifted the first letter.
His eyes moved across the page.
Then he read the heading aloud.
"Congratulations, Maya. We are pleased to offer you admission...""
He stopped.
He picked up another envelope.
This one was from Whitmore University.
He opened it.
I watched his expression change as he read the first paragraph.
"Full tuition scholarship," he whispered.
I covered my mouth.
"What?""
Dad looked at me.
"You received a full scholarship.""
My knees nearly gave out.
I had spent months worrying about tuition. I had been preparing to work part-time and apply for loans.
The university had offered to pay everything.
And I had never known.
Dad continued searching the drawer.
Then he found a letter addressed to Brianna.
It was from the same university.
A rejection.
He looked at Denise.
"Why was this in here?""
Denise didn't answer.
Brianna appeared in the doorway.
"Mom?""
Dad held up the letter.
"Did you know Maya received a full scholarship?""
Brianna's eyes filled with tears.
"She wasn't supposed to find out.""
Silence swallowed the room.
Dad slowly turned toward her.
"What did you just say?""
Brianna looked at her mother.
Denise's lips tightened.
Then Dad noticed another envelope at the very bottom of the drawer.
It was older, yellowed around the edges, and had the name of my mother's attorney printed on the front.
My father's hands suddenly became unsteady.
He recognized the handwriting.
It belonged to my mother.
He carefully opened the envelope.
Inside was a letter and a small brass key.
He read the first few lines.
May you like
Then his face lost all its color.
"Denise," he said, barely above a whisper, "what have you done?""
