Chapter 2: The Envelope
Mom didn’t answer.
She stood completely still, her fingers curled around the edge of the kitchen counter.
Dad held the envelope between two fingers.
I could hear the refrigerator humming behind me.
The house suddenly felt unfamiliar.
Like I had walked into a place that belonged to strangers.
“Mom?””
She looked at me.
“It’s nothing.””
Dad gave a short, humorless laugh.
“Nothing?””
He held up the envelope.
“Her name is on it.””
“It’s private.””
“You opened it.””
“I said I handled it.””
“You handled it by taking it out of the mail?””
Mia stepped between them.
“Dad, just give it back.””
Dad turned.
“Stay out of this.””
Mia stopped.
That was rare.
Mia always had something to say.
Dad opened the envelope.
Mom lunged forward.
“David!””
He held it away from her.
Inside was a thick stack of papers.
I caught the first page before he did.
At the top, in bold letters, was the name of my university.
My heartbeat stumbled.
“What is that?””
Dad pulled the page free.
He read it.
His expression changed.
Not anger.
Confusion first.
Then disbelief.
He looked at me.
“Evelyn… did you apply for something?””
I shook my head.
“I don't know.””
Mia whispered, “Dad…”
He read farther.
Then he looked at Mom.
“What is this?””
Mom folded her arms.
“It's a financial matter.””
“What financial matter?””
She didn't answer.
Dad held the paper out to me.
I took it.
My hands were trembling.
It was a tuition statement.
My tuition statement.
But the numbers were wrong.
At the bottom was a balance that should not have existed.
Almost eighteen thousand dollars.
I looked up.
“I don't owe this.””
Mom's face was blank.
Dad said quietly, “Apparently you do.””
“No.””
I scanned the page again.
There were payment records.
Withdrawals.
Transfers.
Names.
One name appeared over and over.
*Linda Harper.*
My mother.
I looked at her.
“Why is your name here?””
Mom's voice sharpened.
“Because I paid your tuition.””
“But this says money was withdrawn.””
“I paid what needed to be paid.””
“This isn't what I mean.””
Dad took the pages from me.
“What aren't you telling her?””
Mom crossed her arms tighter.
“I don't owe anyone an explanation for how I manage my money.””
Dad stared at her.
“You used money from her account.””
“I borrowed it.””
My mouth fell open.
“My account?””
Mom glanced at me.
“You weren't using it.””
“That was my graduation savings.””
“It was sitting there.””
“You took it?””
“I said I borrowed it.””
“How much?””
She looked away.
Dad answered for her.
“Everything?””
Mom didn't respond.
I felt like someone had punched me in the chest.
The dress suddenly made sense.
The extra shifts.
The money I'd saved.
The account I kept checking every week.
The reason there had been less money than expected.
I had assumed I was terrible at budgeting.
I had blamed myself.
“You took my savings,” I whispered.
Mom finally looked at me.
“We needed it.””
“For what?””
“Mia had an emergency.””
I looked at my sister.
She blinked.
“What emergency?””
Mia snapped, “Don't look at me like that.””
“What emergency?””
“She needed something handled,” Mom said.
“What?””
Mia's face turned red.
“It's none of your business.””
Dad looked from one daughter to the other.
“Everything involving eighteen thousand dollars is my business.””
Mia stepped back.
Dad pointed toward the envelope.
“And why was this in your bag?””
“I don't know.””
“You just said you were going to give it to her.””
“I meant—”
“When did you know about the account?””
Mia said nothing.
Dad's voice dropped.
“Answer me.””
She swallowed.
“Mom told me.””
I looked at Mom.
“Why would you tell her?””
Mom rubbed her forehead.
“Because I needed help.””
“Help doing what?””
No answer.
I felt the room shrinking around me.
Then I noticed something else.
The envelope had my name on it, but the return address was my university's financial aid office.
I remembered the email I had received three weeks earlier.
*Your financial aid application has been flagged for review.*
I had assumed it was a routine mistake.
Maybe it wasn't.
I looked at Dad.
“Did you know about this?””
He shook his head.
“No.””
I turned to Mom.
“You hid this from him?””
She didn't answer.
Dad's face hardened.
“Linda.””
Still nothing.
I picked up the top page again.
At the bottom, there was a signature.
I recognized it.
Mine.
But I had never signed that form.
My blood ran cold.
“Dad.””
He looked at me.
“This isn't my signature.””
Mom moved instantly.
She snatched the paper from my hand.
“Enough.””
Dad's voice cracked like a whip.
“Give that back.””
She froze.
He took it from her.
He stared at the signature.
Then at me.
“You didn't sign this?””
“No.””
Mia turned toward the doorway.
Dad noticed.
“Mia.””
She stopped.
“Where are you going?””
“Nowhere.””
“You knew.””
“No.””
“You knew about the money.””
Mia shook her head.
“You're making this bigger than it is.””
Dad stepped closer.
“Did you use Evelyn's money?””
“No.””
“Did you ask Mom to take it?””
“No.””
“Then why is this document in your handbag?””
Her face went white.
Dad looked at me.
“We're going to find out exactly what happened.””
Mom's voice suddenly became frantic.
“David, don't.””
He turned toward her.
“Why?””
“Because you don't understand.””
“Then explain it.””
She stared at him.
For several seconds, nobody moved.
Then Dad looked down at the papers again.
One page had slipped loose from the stack.
He picked it up.
His eyes stopped.
His expression changed so dramatically that even Mia noticed.
“What?””
Dad looked at Mom.
“You told me the account was closed.””
Mom didn't answer.
“What account?”” I asked.
Dad held up the page.
“There's another account in your name.””
I stared at him.
“What?””
He looked at the account number.
Then at Mom.
“And someone transferred money into it the same day you turned twenty-one.””
Mia whispered, “Dad, please.””
Dad's eyes narrowed.
“Please what?””
She looked terrified now.
Dad turned the page over.
There was another signature.
Another transfer.
And this one wasn't mine.
He looked at me.
May you like
Then said slowly,
“Evelyn… I think your sister has been lying to you for a lot longer than today.””