She said you were a deadbeat.”
“I worked three jobs for fifteen years, Daniel.
I paid for Sophie’s education.
I paid for your first semester too — did you know that?”
“What?”
“Check your old bank statements.
There were deposits from an account in my name.
Mom told you it was from her.
It wasn’t.”
“I — Clara, I didn’t know.”
“I know you didn’t.
That was the whole point.”
Daniel called back two hours later.
His voice was different — smaller, stripped of something.
“I found the statements.
She — Mom — she’s been lying.
For years.
About everything.”
“What are you going to do?”
“I don’t know.
But I’m not going to her house for lunch anymore.”
—
Three weeks later, Margaret called Clara.
Clara hadn’t heard her voice since the speaker phone call.
It was quieter now.
Smaller.
“Clara.”
“Margaret.”
“You turned them against me.”
