Chapter 5: Before She Became My Stepmother
Dad opened the envelope.
Denise tried to stop him.
Not physically.
She knew better now.
Instead, she used the voice she always used when she wanted to sound reasonable.
"James, whatever Monica wrote, you need to remember she was very sick.""
Dad's hand stopped.
The room changed instantly.
Even Brianna looked shocked.
I felt something hot rise through my chest.
"What did you just say?""
Denise looked at me.
"I'm saying medication can affect judgment.""
Dad's voice became dangerously quiet.
"Don't.""
"I'm not insulting her.""
"You just tried to discredit a dead woman before I've even read the letter.""
"I knew Monica.""
"Apparently better than you ever told me.""
Denise looked toward the hallway.
Dad blocked the doorway.
"Sit down.""
"I'm not your prisoner.""
"No. You're my wife. At least for the moment.""
That hit her.
She stared at him.
Dad didn't blink.
"Sit.""
Denise sat on the edge of my desk chair.
Brianna remained near the closet.
I stood beside Dad.
He opened Mom's letter.
There were six handwritten pages.
The first line was addressed to him.
James,
If you're reading this, then something I prayed would never happen has happened: Denise Harper has found her way back into your life.
Dad stopped.
His face tightened.
I couldn't imagine what it felt like to read your dead wife's warning about the woman you'd later marry.
He continued aloud.
I need you to understand that I am not writing this because of jealousy, anger, or fear. I am writing because Denise once attempted to gain access to financial information belonging to my mother, and I believe she may someday try again through Maya.
Denise stood.
"That's a lie.""
Dad looked up.
"Sit down.""
"She hated me.""
"Why?""
Denise froze.
Dad lowered the letter.
"You just said she hated you. Why?""
Denise's eyes moved toward me.
"I made a mistake.""
"What mistake?""
"I was young.""
"What did you do?""
She said nothing.
Dad went back to the letter.
Mom explained that Denise had worked as an assistant for Grandma Evelyn.
Not a housekeeper.
Not exactly.
Grandma had owned several small commercial properties around Richmond and managed most of them herself. Denise had started as a receptionist in one of her offices.
She was twenty-three.
Mom was twenty-four.
At first, they became friends.
That explained the photograph.
They went to lunch together.
Denise helped Mom plan a birthday party.
She'd even visited this house while Mom and Dad were renovating it.
Dad looked up.
"You were in this house?""
Denise stared at the floor.
"Once.""
Mom's letter said otherwise.
At least twelve times.
I watched Dad's expression change with every paragraph.
Then we reached the money.
Grandma discovered unauthorized transfers from a business account.
Small amounts at first.
Two hundred dollars.
Five hundred.
Then several thousand.
The transfers had been disguised as vendor payments.
Grandma confronted Denise.
Denise denied everything.
There wasn't enough evidence for criminal charges, but Grandma fired her.
Denise threatened to sue.
Nothing came of it.
Mom had wanted to believe Denise.
Grandma hadn't.
Then something worse happened.
Several months after Denise was fired, someone tried to obtain a copy of Grandma's property records using Mom's name.
That was when Mom cut contact completely.
Dad lowered the letter.
"Did you do that?""
Denise shook her head.
"No.""
"Did you take money from Evelyn?""
"No.""
"Did she fire you?""
"Yes.""
"Why?""
"Because she blamed me for something another employee did.""
"Did you try to get her property records?""
"No.""
Dad studied her.
Then Brianna asked the question nobody expected.
"Why didn't you ever tell me?""
Denise looked at her daughter.
"Because it was none of your business.""
"You told me Grandma Evelyn was cruel to you.""
"I said she treated me badly.""
"You told me Maya's mother was spoiled.""
My head snapped toward Brianna.
"What?""
Brianna looked embarrassed.
"Mom talked about her sometimes.""
Dad stared at Denise.
"You talked about Monica to Brianna?""
"Not like that.""
"She said you called her spoiled.""
Denise stood again.
"Can everyone stop treating Brianna like a reliable witness? She's upset.""
Brianna's face changed.
"Wow.""
"Brianna—"
"No. Wow.""
She laughed bitterly.
"When you needed me to take Maya's room, I was mature enough. Now I'm unreliable?""
Denise's control was slipping.
I could see it.
Dad could too.
He continued reading.
The last two pages were about me.
Mom had known her illness was getting worse.
She had worried Dad would eventually remarry.
She wanted that for him.
That sentence broke him.
He sat on my bed.
Mom had actually written that she hoped Dad found someone kind.
Someone who would laugh with him.
Someone who would love me without trying to replace her.
Dad covered his mouth.
I sat beside him.
For a minute, none of the rest mattered.
I leaned against his shoulder.
He put his arm around me.
"I miss her," I whispered.
"I know.""
"I barely remember her voice.""
He closed his eyes.
"I do.""
That hurt more than I expected.
Then I remembered the USB drive.
"Dad.""
He looked at me.
"The drive.""
His eyes moved toward it.
Maybe Mom had known I'd forget.
Maybe that was why she'd left something more than letters.
Dad had an old laptop in the office with a USB port.
We carried everything downstairs.
Denise followed because Dad wouldn't let the documents out of his sight.
Brianna followed because I think she no longer trusted her own mother.
Dad plugged in the drive.
There were several files.
Scanned documents.
Photographs.
And one video.
The filename was simple.
MAYA.
Dad looked at me.
"Do you want to watch it?""
My heart pounded.
I nodded.
He clicked.
The screen went black.
Then Mom appeared.
I stopped breathing.
She was sitting in my bedroom.
My bedroom.
Her hair was short from treatment.
Her face was thinner than in the photographs.
But she was smiling.
"Hi, baby.""
I broke.
There was no warning.
One second I was staring at the screen.
The next I was crying so hard I couldn't see.
Dad wrapped an arm around me.
On the video, Mom smiled.
"If you're watching this, you're probably older now. Hopefully taller than your father.""
Dad laughed through his tears.
Mom continued.
"I wish I could see you.""
I covered my mouth.
Even Brianna was crying.
Denise stood behind us.
Silent.
Mom talked for almost seven minutes.
She told me she loved me.
She told me not to let grief make me afraid of happiness.
She told me Dad would make mistakes.
Dad whispered, "She knew me.""
I almost smiled.
Then Mom's expression became serious.
"There are things about this house and your grandmother's estate that you may not understand yet.""
Dad leaned closer.
"If Richard Coleman is still practicing law, find him.""
Mom paused.
"And if Denise Harper is anywhere near this family, do not confront her alone.""
Denise whispered, "Turn it off.""
Dad didn't move.
Mom continued.
"Denise knows about the trust.""
The room went silent.
"She also knows something your father does not.""
Dad's face tightened.
"What?""
The video version of Mom looked directly into the camera.
"Your grandmother did not only leave you property.""
I felt my pulse in my throat.
"She left you controlling ownership in Carter-Holloway Holdings when you turn eighteen or enroll full-time in college, whichever comes first.""
Dad looked at me.
"What is Carter-Holloway Holdings?""
Denise knew.
I could tell immediately.
She stepped backward.
Mom answered from the video.
"The company owns several commercial properties in Richmond, including the land beneath this house and three buildings downtown.""
Dad stared at the screen.
Mom continued.
"The value will change over time, but it is substantial.""
My head spun.
I wasn't thinking about being rich.
I was thinking about hidden letters.
A stolen scholarship.
A fake signature.
Denise hadn't been trying to stop me from leaving.
She'd been trying to stop me from gaining control of something.
Mom continued.
"There is one more thing.""
Dad leaned toward the laptop.
"If anyone attempts to interfere with Maya's education, residency, or access to her inheritance, Richard has instructions to conduct a full accounting.""
Denise suddenly reached for the laptop.
Dad caught her wrist before she touched it.
"Don't.""
She pulled away.
Mom's voice continued.
"That accounting includes every loan, lien, transfer, refinance, and property transaction connected to the trust.""
Dad slowly looked at Denise.
The $180,000 loan.
Her face told us everything.
Mom's video ended.
Nobody spoke.
Then Dad's phone rang.
Unknown number.
He answered.
"Hello?""
A man's voice came through faintly.
"Mr. Carter? This is Richard Coleman.""
Dad immediately put the phone on speaker.
"Mr. Coleman.""
"I received an automated notice twenty minutes ago.""
Dad frowned.
"What notice?""
"A secured compartment associated with Monica Carter's estate was opened.""
We all looked upstairs.
Richard continued.
"If Maya is present, I need both of you to listen carefully.""
"I'm here," I said.
There was a pause.
"Maya, congratulations on Richmond.""
I stared at the phone.
"How did you know?""
"Because the university notified the scholarship trust.""
Denise closed her eyes.
Richard's voice became serious.
"Your enrollment eligibility activated part of your mother's estate yesterday.""
Dad looked at me.
"Yesterday?""
"Yes.""
Then Richard said the words that made Denise grab the edge of the desk.
"Unfortunately, someone submitted documents this morning attempting to declare Maya no longer a resident of the Carter property.""
Dad slowly turned toward Denise.
The room went ice cold.
"Who?""
Richard paused.
"The filing carries your electronic signature, Mr. Carter.""
Dad's face hardened.
May you like
"I didn't sign anything.""
"I was afraid you'd say that.""
