Chapter 9 - Brianna Chooses a Side
By sunset, the birthday decorations looked absurd.
Half-inflated balloons floated near empty tables.
Cake sat untouched.
The Mustang remained in the driveway.
The Jeep had been collected by Aaron and returned to the dealership pending investigation.
Brianna stood beside it before it left.
She ran her fingers across the door.
For weeks, she had dreamed about that Jeep.
She had chosen accessories online.
She had imagined driving it to college orientation.
Now she could not look at it without seeing Lily’s stolen future.
Aaron approached.
“You did the right thing.”
Brianna laughed sadly.
“I didn’t do anything.”
“You gave it back.”
“It wasn’t mine.”
“That doesn’t stop everyone.”
Brianna glanced toward the house.
“My grandmother acts like she loves me.”
Aaron followed her gaze.
“Maybe she does.”
Brianna shook her head.
“No. She loves winning with me.”
Inside, Denise sat alone at the dining room table.
Brianna joined her.
“Mom?”
Denise looked older than she had that morning.
“I’m sorry.”
“For what?”
Denise stared at the table.
“For letting her make you think Lily was your enemy.”
Brianna sat.
“Did you know about the money?”
“No.”
“Any of it?”
Denise hesitated.
Brianna saw.
“What did you know?”
Denise closed her eyes.
“The condominium.”
“You knew Grandma bought it?”
“I knew she arranged it. I didn’t know she stole the money.”
“What else?”
“When you were thirteen, Grandma paid your private school tuition for a year.”
Brianna frowned.
“You and Dad paid that.”
“That’s what I told you.”
“Where did the money come from?”
“I don’t know anymore.”
Brianna stood.
“Mom.”
“I don’t.”
“Did you ever ask?”
Denise looked at her.
That was the real answer.
No.
She had never asked because accepting Margaret’s generosity was easier than examining it.
Brianna walked away.
She found Lily upstairs.
Lily had changed out of her birthday dress and into jeans and a sweatshirt.
The cheap bracelet rested on the dresser.
Brianna stood in the doorway.
“Can I come in?”
Lily nodded.
For a moment, neither knew what to say.
Then Brianna whispered, “I’m sorry.”
Lily looked at her.
“You didn’t steal the money.”
“I enjoyed what she did to you.”
Lily said nothing.
Brianna’s voice shook.
“For years.”
“Why?”
“Because she made me feel like I had to beat you.”
Lily looked down.
“I thought you hated me.”
“I thought you hated me.”
They both laughed once.
It was not funny.
Brianna sat on the edge of the bed.
“I heard Grandma talking about money two weeks ago.”
Lily looked up.
“What did she say?”
“She said your dad would never notice.”
“Why didn’t you tell anyone?”
“I didn’t know what she meant.”
Brianna paused.
“There was something else.”
“What?”
“She said, ‘Once Evelyn is dealt with, everything goes back where it belongs.’”
Lily’s eyes widened.
“Dealt with?”
“That’s exactly what she said.”
Lily stood immediately.
They went downstairs.
Daniel was in the study with Rebecca.
Brianna repeated the conversation.
Rebecca’s face changed.
“When did you hear this?”
“Two weeks ago.”
“Where?”
“Grandma’s house.”
“Was anyone else there?”
“A man.”
Daniel leaned forward.
“What man?”
“I didn’t see his face.”
“What did he say?”
Brianna closed her eyes, remembering.
“One thing.”
“What?”
“He said, ‘If the woman is still alive, the daughter probably is too.’”
Rebecca stood so quickly her chair struck the wall.
Daniel stared.
“Daughter?”
Rebecca grabbed her phone.
“Thomas’s file only listed one possible child.”
Daniel’s stomach tightened.
“Who?”
Rebecca looked at him.
“A girl born in 1979.”
Daniel calculated automatically.
Forty-seven.
Rebecca continued.
“Her name was Hannah Evelyn Monroe.”
Daniel stopped breathing.
May you like
“Hannah?”
Lily whispered, “Mom?”
