Chapter 7 - WHAT HAPPENED BEFORE I ARRIVED
Rebecca told me first.
Then Samuel.
Then Jacob.
Separately.
I did not coach them.
I learned that from Laura, who told me family conflict becomes uglier when adults turn children into synchronized witnesses.
Rebecca:
Grandma gave them aprons at 11:15.
Said everyone had a role.
Older cousins decorated.
Adults cooked? Caterers actually cooked.
The children were assigned clearing and cleaning.
Samuel:
Grandpa told him not to embarrass me by being lazy.
Jacob:
Grandma said Dad pays for things, so they had to pay with work.
That sentence hurt.
“Exactly?”
Jacob nodded.
“Grandma said, ‘Your father uses money. You can use your hands.’”
Rebecca heard something else.
When she complained that cousins were filming Jacob, Helen said:
“Maybe being embarrassed will fix him.”
My hands shook.
There was no financial document that could make that worse.
Then Rebecca added:
“Aunt Margaret told Grandma to stop.”
Margaret.
Dad’s older sister.
Seventy-three.
She lived in assisted living.
I paid part of it through the support account.
“She did?”
“Yes.”
“What happened?”
“Grandma said Aunt Margaret didn’t pay for the party.”
Rebecca looked at me.
“Then Aunt Margaret said, ‘Neither did you.’”
I almost smiled.
May you like
My aunt knew.
Maybe more than I did.
