Chapter 3 - The Grandmother Who Never Left
Margaret Dawson had not abandoned Sophie.
For four years she had written every month.
Birthday cards.
Christmas packages.
Photographs.
Letters.
None reached Rosewood Mansion.
Rebecca had made certain of that.
Years earlier, before Lucas ever considered dating her, Rebecca had worked as an outside consultant for Bennett Holdings.
She had access to executive correspondence.
After she and Lucas began seeing one another, she volunteered to help organize the house while he traveled.
Mail was easy to intercept.
Margaret believed Lucas was returning her letters unopened.
Lucas believed Margaret wanted nothing to do with him.
Sophie believed her grandmother had forgotten her.
One lie maintained three separate wounds.
That lie almost survived forever.
Until Margaret called the mansion herself.
Sophie answered.
"Hello?"
Silence.
Then a trembling voice.
"Sophie?"
The child froze.
"Grandma?"
Margaret began crying.
"Oh, sweetheart."
Sophie sat on the kitchen floor.
"You remember me?"
"Remember you? I've written you every month."
Sophie looked toward the hallway.
"I never got them."
Margaret became silent.
"Is your father there?"
"He's working."
"And Rebecca?"
Sophie lowered her voice.
"She's upstairs."
Margaret inhaled sharply.
"Sophie, listen carefully. I need you to tell your father something."
"What?"
"Tell him not to sign anything Rebecca's father gives him."
"Why?"
A floorboard creaked.
Rebecca stood in the doorway.
Sophie dropped the phone.
Rebecca crossed the kitchen and picked it up.
"Margaret."
The grandmother's voice became cold.
"So you are there."
Rebecca walked to the pantry and lowered her voice.
"You need to stop calling."
"You intercepted my letters."
"I protected Lucas."
"From his daughter's grandmother?"
"From a woman who blamed him for Anna's death."
"I never blamed Lucas."
Rebecca glanced toward Sophie.
Margaret continued.
"I blamed Charles."
Rebecca's hand tightened around the phone.
"Be careful."
"Your father was moving money out of Anna's trust before she died."
"You have no proof."
"I have more than proof."
Rebecca's eyes narrowed.
"What do you have?"
Margaret laughed bitterly.
"That question tells me you're afraid."
Rebecca ended the call.
When she returned, Sophie stood beside the kitchen island.
"Why doesn't Grandma come here?"
Rebecca bent to Sophie's height.
"Your grandmother is confused."
"She said you took my letters."
"She's old."
"She said Grandpa Charles stole Mommy's money."
Rebecca's face became motionless.
Then she smiled.
"You misunderstood."
"I didn't."
Rebecca leaned closer.
"You have a very active imagination."
Sophie stared at her.
Rebecca took the child's phone from the counter.
"For a while, I think your father and I should decide who you're allowed to speak with."
When Lucas returned that evening, Sophie tried to tell him.
Rebecca was already prepared.
She met Lucas at the door.
"We need to talk about Sophie."
Lucas put down his briefcase.
"What happened?"
"She contacted Margaret."
Lucas looked surprised.
"How?"
"Margaret called. Sophie got upset."
Sophie rushed into the foyer.
"She said you've been getting letters."
Rebecca sighed.
"See?"
Lucas looked between them.
"What letters?"
"Grandma sends them."
Rebecca touched Lucas's arm.
"Margaret is manipulating her."
"She isn't."
"Sophie."
The child's voice rose.
"She said Rebecca's dad stole Mommy's money."
Lucas went still.
Rebecca shook her head sadly.
"This is exactly what I was afraid of."
Lucas looked down at Sophie.
"Grandma said that?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
"I don't know."
Rebecca answered for her.
"Because Margaret has never forgiven you for Anna's accident."
Lucas flinched.
It was the deepest wound Rebecca could have chosen.
Sophie saw her father's face change.
She understood instantly that Rebecca had won.
Lucas crouched.
"Sweetheart, Grandma isn't well."
Sophie began crying.
"She is."
"I think maybe we should take a break from talking to her."
"No."
"Just until after the wedding."
Sophie stepped backward.
"You believe Rebecca."
Lucas reached for her.
Sophie ran upstairs.
That night Lucas stood outside Sophie's bedroom for a long time.
He wanted to enter.
He wanted to fix it.
Instead Rebecca appeared behind him.
"Give her space."
Lucas looked at the closed door.
"I hate seeing her upset."
"You can't let a seven-year-old control every decision."
"She's grieving."
"So are you."
Rebecca rested her head against his shoulder.
"Lucas, I want a family with you."
He looked at her.
"I know."
"But we can't build that family if Anna's relatives keep dragging the past into our home."
Lucas closed his eyes.
Rebecca kissed his cheek.
Behind the bedroom door, Sophie heard every word.
She opened Anna's old photo album.
Inside the back cover she had hidden the silver key and a small piece of paper she found in the lake house box.
The paper contained three words.
Dawson Family Trust.
And underneath them was a date.
May you like
September 18.
The wedding date.
