Chapter 15 - Rachel’s promotion
Rachel came to my house six weeks after Iris was born.
She called first.
Progress.
I let her in.
No Mom.
She looked exhausted.
Not newborn exhausted.
Life exhausted.
We sat at the kitchen table.
She said:
“I got another promotion.”
I blinked.
“When?”
“Last year.”
“What do you make?”
She hesitated.
Then told me.
$72,000.
I had been earning around $128,000 before maternity leave.
Higher.
But Rachel was not near poverty.
Mark paid support.
She had manageable rent.
Why did she still need regular family assistance?
Because her spending had grown too.
SUV lease.
Dance competition for Lily.
Travel soccer for Noah.
Salon.
Food delivery.
A trip to Florida.
Not luxury-jet extravagance.
Middle-class overspending.
I asked:
“Why did you let Mom keep asking me?”
Rachel stared at her hands.
“Because you said yes.”
“That’s not an answer.”
“Yes, it is.”
I hated it because she was partly right.
“I didn’t know the whole picture.”
“You never asked.”
“Mom told me emergencies.”
Rachel swallowed.
“I knew she exaggerated.”
There.
“How much?”
“I don’t know.”
“Did you know she told me Mark barely paid?”
“Yes.”
“Did you correct her?”
“No.”
“Why?”
Her eyes filled.
May you like
“Because I was afraid you’d stop helping.”
At least truth.
