Chapter 3: The Second Account
Dad took the papers into the dining room.
None of us spoke as we followed him.
He set everything on the table and pulled out a chair for me.
“Sit.””
I sat.
Mia remained standing.
Mom stayed near the doorway.
Dad looked at both of them.
“I'm done guessing.””
He spread the documents across the table.
The first page showed the tuition account.
The second showed another account I had never seen before.
The third showed several transfers.
The amounts were smaller at first.
Two hundred dollars.
Five hundred.
Eight hundred.
Then three thousand.
Then seven thousand.
All under my name.
I stared at the page.
“That can't be real.””
Dad nodded.
“That's what I thought.””
He pointed toward the bottom.
“This account was opened eighteen months ago.””
I looked at Mom.
“Did you open it?””
She said nothing.
Dad looked at Mia.
“Did you?””
Mia crossed her arms.
“Why would I open an account in her name?””
“I'm asking you.””
“I didn't.””
Dad looked at Mom again.
“Linda?””
Mom swallowed.
“It was temporary.””
I felt a chill.
“What was temporary?””
Mom pulled out a chair.
“Evelyn, sit down. We can explain this.””
“I’m already sitting.””
“Don't be sarcastic.””
“You've been taking my money.””
“No.””
“You just admitted it.””
“I moved money.””
“Without telling me.””
“It was for the family.””
I laughed once.
The sound came out broken.
“Of course.””
Dad looked at me.
“Let her finish.””
Mom straightened.
“Mia was having financial problems.””
Mia immediately said, “Mom, stop.””
But Mom kept going.
“She had debts.””
“What debts?”” Dad asked.
“Credit cards.””
“How much?””
Mom hesitated.
“Not that much.””
Dad looked at the statement.
“Twenty-four thousand dollars.””
Mia's eyes flashed.
“Mom!””
Dad stared at her.
“You had twenty-four thousand dollars in credit card debt?””
Mia looked away.
I whispered, “And you used my savings to pay it?””
Mom nodded.
“We were trying to keep it from getting worse.””
I couldn't believe it.
“So my graduation dress was destroyed because she was in debt?””
Mia snapped, “I didn't ask for your stupid dress.””
I looked at her.
“You asked for my money.””
“No, I didn't.””
“Mom said—”
“Mom did what she thought was necessary!””
Dad slammed his palm on the table.
“Enough!””
The room went silent.
He pointed at Mia.
“Did you know she was using Evelyn's account?””
“Yes.””
My stomach tightened.
Dad looked at Mom.
“Did you tell her how much you took?””
“No.””
“Did Evelyn authorize it?””
“No.””
“Then both of you committed fraud.””
Mom flinched.
Mia looked horrified.
Dad wasn't shouting anymore.
That made it worse.
He pulled another chair out.
“Mia. Sit.””
She did.
Dad picked up the bank statement.
“You said your debt was an emergency.””
Mia nodded weakly.
“I was scared.””
“Why?””
She looked at me.
“I was going to lose my apartment.””
My eyebrows rose.
“You have an apartment?””
Mia didn't answer.
I looked at Mom.
“She lives downtown?””
“Yes.””
“How long?””
Mom said nothing.
Dad stared at her.
“She's been renting an apartment for two years?””
Mia whispered, “It's not important.””
I almost laughed.
“Apparently nothing is important unless it happens to me.””
Dad looked at me.
“Evelyn.””
I shook my head.
“No. I want to know.””
Mia's face hardened.
“You've always wanted to know everything.””
“Because nobody tells me anything.””
“That’s because you can't handle it.””
I stared at her.
“You cut up my dress.””
“You keep saying that like it proves something.””
“It proves exactly what I think it proves.””
“What?””
“That you don't care what belongs to me.””
Mia looked away.
Dad turned back to the documents.
“There are more withdrawals.””
He traced a finger down the list.
“Your tuition savings were moved into the secondary account.””
My throat tightened.
“When?””
“The first transfer happened in March.””
I remembered March.
I had celebrated my savings reaching ten thousand dollars.
I had sent Dad a text.
*I finally did it. I can afford the dress.*
He had replied with a heart.
I had cried in my bedroom because for once I felt proud of myself.
Now I realized why the balance had dropped afterward.
The money had disappeared quietly.
I looked at Mom.
“Did you take it that week?””
She whispered, “Yes.””
“While I was at work?””
“Yes.””
“Did Mia know?””
Mia said nothing.
Dad turned toward her.
“Did you know?””
“Yes.””
The word barely came out.
I pushed my chair backward.
It scraped loudly across the floor.
“You both watched me save that money.””
Nobody moved.
“You watched me work.””
Silence.
“You watched me count every paycheck.””
Mom's eyes filled with tears.
“I was going to put it back.””
“When?””
“Soon.””
“Before or after graduation?””
“I don't know.””
Dad asked quietly, “How much did you spend?””
Mom looked at the table.
“All of it.””
My chest tightened.
“All of it?””
She nodded.
I stood.
Mia looked at me.
“I said I was going to pay it back.””
“You?””
“I had a plan.””
“With what?””
She didn't answer.
Dad did.
“Her designer bag.””
Everyone looked at him.
He reached for the receipt he'd found in Mia's handbag.
Three thousand dollars.
Purchased with a card linked to the secondary account.
My name was printed on the statement.
I stared at it.
Mia's voice became defensive.
“That was one purchase.””
Dad stood.
“One?””
He lifted the statement.
“Evelyn, look at the dates.””
I did.
There were hotel charges.
Restaurant charges.
Online shopping.
A weekend resort.
Concert tickets.
Taxi rides.
Luxury clothing.
My money had paid for Mia's life.
She had been living beautifully.
I had been working extra shifts to buy a dress.
I looked at her.
“You used my money to buy yourself a vacation.””
“It wasn't like that.””
“How was it?””
“I was going through something.””
“You were shopping.””
“I was trying to feel normal.””
I stared at her.
“So I worked so you could feel normal.””
Mia's face crumpled for half a second.
Then she hardened again.
“You always act like everything happens to you.””
“Because it does.””
Dad stepped between us.
“That's enough.””
He gathered the papers.
“I'm going to the bank.””
Mom immediately stood.
“No.””
Dad looked at her.
“No?””
“You don't need to do that.””
“I do.””
“David, please.””
He picked up the envelope.
“I'm getting every statement.””
Mom’s face had gone white.
Dad noticed.
“What else is there?””
“Nothing.””
He stared at her.
“Then you won't mind.””
He walked toward the front door.
Mia stood.
“Dad.””
He stopped.
She looked at him with tears in her eyes.
“Please don't go to the bank.””
Dad turned slowly.
“Why?””
Mia couldn't answer.
His face tightened.
Then he said, “What are you hiding?””
Her lips parted.
And before she could speak, Dad's phone rang.
He looked at the screen.
The number was from the bank.
He answered.
“Hello?””
His expression changed.
He listened.
May you like
Then he looked directly at me.
“Evelyn, there's something you need to hear.””