Ray closed his briefcase.
“Linda, Megan, the distributions will remain suspended during the accounting review.
Any future request must include supporting documentation and will be evaluated according to the trust terms.”
Megan marched back toward the porch.
Her eyes were wet now, but her voice was furious.
“So that’s it? You ruin my wedding because we missed your birthday?”
“You didn’t miss my birthday.”
She frowned.
“You saw my message.
Mom answered it.
You reacted to her answer.
You made a decision.”
She opened her mouth, then closed it.
I continued.
“And the wedding isn’t ruined.
It just isn’t being secretly paid for by someone you don’t want in your life.”
That landed harder than anything else I had said.
Megan’s face crumpled for half a second.
Then pride repaired it.
“Fine.
Keep Grandpa’s money.”
Ray corrected her gently.
“It is not Sabrina’s personal money.
She is administering the trust.”
Megan laughed bitterly.
“Same difference.”
“Actually,” I said, “that difference is the entire reason you’re standing here.”
She left without another word.
Mom stayed.
For several seconds, neither of us spoke.
She suddenly looked older than she had when she arrived.
Not fragile.
Just tired.
“Your mortgage transfer stops next week,” I said.
“If you need assistance, you can submit an accurate request with documentation.
Ray and I will review it.”
Her mouth tightened.
“You expect me to beg my own daughter?”
“No.
I expect you to tell the truth on financial requests.”
“And what about us?”
It was the first question she had asked that wasn’t entirely about money.
I wanted to believe that meant something.
Maybe someday it would.
But I wasn’t going to turn one imperfect sentence into an apology she had not given.
“You asked for space,” I said.
“I’m respecting that.”
She looked toward Grandpa’s photograph visible through the kitchen doorway.
Her eyes stayed there for a long moment.
“He always favored you.”
I shook my head.
“He trusted me because I showed up.”
She flinched.
Then she walked down the steps and left.
The review took several weeks.
