Chapter 2: The Letters They Hid
Dad closed my bedroom door behind us.
Not because he wanted privacy.
Because he didn't want Denise or Brianna leaving.
"Nobody moves until somebody tells me what's going on.""
His voice was quiet.
That scared me more than yelling would have.
Denise straightened her blouse.
"You're turning a teenage argument into something much bigger than it is.""
Dad held up the forged paper.
"Somebody signed my name.""
Nobody answered.
He looked at Brianna.
"Did you do this?""
"No.""
"Did your mother?""
"Why are you asking me?""
"Because five minutes ago you were waving it around like proof.""
Brianna looked toward Denise.
Dad noticed.
Again.
Denise sighed.
"Fine. I prepared the document.""
My stomach dropped.
Dad stared at her.
"You forged my signature?""
"I wouldn't call it forging.""
"What would you call signing my name without permission?""
"It was a household decision.""
"My signature is not a household decision.""
Denise rolled her eyes.
That was a mistake.
Dad rarely lost his temper, but he hated being dismissed.
Especially in his own house.
"I was going to tell you tonight," Denise said.
"You were going to tell me after Maya was already in the basement.""
"The basement is finished.""
I almost laughed.
It technically was.
There was a couch, a television, some storage shelves and a half bathroom.
There was also no bedroom door, no closet, and one tiny window near the ceiling.
Dad looked at me.
"When did you last see your college mail?""
"Tuesday.""
"All of it?""
"I had three envelopes in my desk.""
"Any opened?""
I hesitated.
"One.""
"From where?""
"Virginia Commonwealth.""
Brianna's face tightened.
Dad caught it.
"What did it say?""
"I got in.""
For the first time that afternoon, Dad smiled.
It lasted maybe half a second.
"You got into VCU?""
I nodded.
"I wanted to tell you after I heard from the others.""
"I'm proud of you.""
Those four words nearly made me cry again.
Then his expression hardened.
"What other schools?""
"Howard. Georgetown. And Richmond.""
Denise spoke.
"She's sixteen. Why are we acting like mail is some federal investigation?""
Dad turned.
"Because her mail disappeared.""
"Maybe she misplaced it.""
"I didn't.""
Brianna scoffed.
"She loses stuff constantly.""
I stared at her.
"Name one thing.""
She opened her mouth.
Nothing came out.
Dad walked toward my desk and began checking the drawers.
Empty.
Then the bookshelf.
Nothing.
He moved into the hallway.
"James, what are you doing?"" Denise asked.
"Finding my daughter's mail.""
"This is absurd.""
Dad walked into the home office.
Denise followed.
So did Brianna.
I stayed behind for a moment.
I picked up Mom's broken picture.
The glass had cracked diagonally, but her face was still visible.
I carefully slid the photograph out.
Behind it was a small piece of yellowed paper.
I frowned.
I'd never noticed it before.
It looked like part of an old receipt or note.
Only a few words were visible in Mom's handwriting.
For Maya.
I slipped it into my pocket.
Then I followed them.
Dad was opening drawers in the office.
Denise stood near the doorway.
"You cannot just go through my things.""
Dad stopped.
"Your things?""
"My desk.""
"In our office.""
"That doesn't mean you get to invade my privacy.""
Dad looked at her.
"My daughter says her mail disappeared. Someone forged my signature today. You're worried about privacy?""
Denise didn't answer.
Then Dad noticed the bottom drawer.
It had a small brass lock.
He stared at it.
"What's in there?""
"Personal documents.""
"What documents?""
"Mine.""
"Open it.""
"No.""
That single word changed the room.
Brianna whispered, "Mom.""
Denise shot her a look.
Dad held out his hand.
"The key.""
"No.""
He stared at her.
"Why?""
"Because I don't have to let you search everything I own because Maya is upset.""
I stepped forward.
"I'm not upset. Someone stole my mail.""
Denise turned on me.
"Stop accusing people.""
Dad moved between us.
"Don't.""
She looked at him.
"Don't what?""
"Talk to her like she's the problem.""
Silence.
Dad reached toward the drawer.
Denise grabbed his wrist.
"James.""
He looked down at her hand.
She released him.
He pulled the drawer.
Locked.
Then he noticed a key ring on the desk.
Denise lunged for it.
Dad got there first.
"Give me that.""
He tried the smallest key.
Click.
Denise's face lost all color.
Dad slowly opened the drawer.
The first thing I saw was a white envelope.
Then another.
Then another.
All addressed to me.
Maya Carter.
Dad took them out.
My hands started shaking.
"Those are mine.""
There were seven envelopes.
Not three.
Seven.
Some had been opened.
I grabbed the first.
Howard University.
Accepted.
My breath caught.
The next envelope was from the University of Richmond.
I tore it open.
Dad watched my face.
"What?""
I couldn't speak.
He took the letter.
His eyes moved across the page.
Then widened.
"Maya.""
"What?""
"Full scholarship.""
Everything stopped.
I stared at him.
"What?""
"Tuition. Housing. Books.""
My knees almost gave out.
I'd applied months earlier.
Mom had gone to Richmond for two years before transferring closer to home. Dad used to tell me stories about how much she'd loved the campus.
I'd dreamed about getting in.
I had never imagined a full scholarship.
Dad pulled me into his arms.
"You did it.""
I started crying.
This time they weren't sad tears.
Not entirely.
"I did it?""
"You did it.""
Then Brianna spoke behind us.
"This is stupid.""
We turned.
She was crying.
Not quietly.
Angrily.
Her face was red.
"What's stupid?"" Dad asked.
"Everything!""
Denise stepped toward her.
"Brianna.""
"No!""
She pointed at me.
"She doesn't deserve that!""
The happiness drained from the room.
I stared at her.
"What?""
Brianna was shaking.
"I worked harder than you.""
Dad's eyes narrowed.
"How do you know what scholarship she's talking about?""
Brianna froze.
Dad looked down into the drawer.
There was another envelope.
This one had Brianna's name.
University of Richmond.
He opened it.
Denise whispered, "James, don't.""
Too late.
He read it.
His face went blank.
Then he looked at Brianna.
"You applied too.""
She said nothing.
Dad continued reading.
"You were rejected.""
Brianna burst into tears.
"I deserved that scholarship!""
I stared at her.
There it was.
Not embarrassment.
Not disappointment.
Rage.
"You hid my acceptance because you didn't get in?""
"I didn't hide anything!""
"Then why was it in your mother's locked drawer?""
She looked at Denise.
Denise looked away.
Dad picked up the other envelopes.
"What else did you hide?""
He searched deeper.
Bank statements.
Property documents.
Insurance records.
Then his hand stopped.
At the bottom was a thick cream envelope.
Old.
Much older than the college letters.
Dad pulled it out.
His name was written across the front.
James Carter.
In the upper corner was the name of a Richmond law firm.
Dad's face changed.
I recognized the name.
"That's Mom's lawyer.""
Dad looked at me.
"Yes.""
Denise stepped forward.
"James, put that down.""
Nobody moved.
Dad opened it.
Inside was a letter dated eleven years earlier.
The year Mom died.
He read the first paragraph.
Then the second.
His fingers tightened around the paper.
"Dad?""
He didn't answer.
"Dad... what is it?""
He slowly looked at Denise.
She was terrified now.
Not nervous.
Terrified.
May you like
Dad held up the letter.
"Now I know why you really wanted Maya out of that bedroom.""
