Chapter 8: The Family Meeting
At 8:15 the next morning, Uncle Thomas called my phone.
I watched his name flash across the screen while I stood in my kitchen, still wearing the clothes I'd put on before leaving for the hospital.
Mother sat at the table with both hands wrapped around a mug.
Neither of us spoke until the ringing stopped.
Then a text appeared.
*We need to talk as a family. Come to my house at ten. Bring Reggie.*
I showed Mother the message.
She looked exhausted.
"Perhaps he'll explain everything.""
"He can explain it to our attorneys.""
"Simone, he's still your uncle.""
"And Reggie is still my brother. Neither fact makes the documents disappear.""
Mother lowered her eyes.
I softened my voice.
"I'm not trying to punish anybody. I just won't let them decide what happened without hearing the truth.""
She nodded slowly.
I contacted my attorney, who advised me not to attend a meeting intended to discuss disputed financial matters without legal representation. She also asked me to send her the invitation and every document I had received.
I followed her instructions.
Then I called Reggie.
He answered on the first ring.
"Did Uncle Thomas contact you?""
"Yes.""
"Are you going?""
"Not without an attorney.""
He exhaled.
"He's going to be furious.""
"That's his problem.""
"Simone, you don't know him when he's angry.""
"Then perhaps it's time somebody stopped letting his anger decide everything.""
Reggie was silent.
Finally, he said, "I'll meet you there.""
"With your attorney?""
"I'm trying to find one.""
"Then don't go until you have representation.""
He hesitated.
"I need to hear what he's planning.""
"Reggie, he's already signed a declaration denying responsibility for the account. He's preparing to blame you.""
Silence.
Then, quietly, he said, "I knew he'd do that.""
The admission unsettled me.
"You knew?""
"I knew he'd protect himself if things went bad.""
"Then why did you trust him?""
Reggie gave a tired laugh.
"Because I wanted to believe he wouldn't destroy me.""
I didn't know what to say.
We ended the call with an agreement to meet later, once we had received advice from our respective attorneys.
At 9:47, Mother and I drove to Uncle Thomas's house.
We weren't going to participate in a financial negotiation. My attorney had arranged for us to meet her nearby afterward, but I wanted Mother to see that we weren't hiding from the family.
Uncle Thomas's house looked exactly as it always had: red brick, white columns, carefully trimmed hedges, and a wide driveway leading to a garage with two expensive vehicles parked inside.
He opened the front door before we reached the steps.
"Denise," he said warmly, leaning forward to kiss Mother's cheek.
"Simone.""
He didn't look pleased to see me.
Inside, the living room smelled of furniture polish and fresh coffee. A large television hung above the fireplace, and framed photographs of Uncle Thomas with business associates lined the shelves.
One photograph showed him standing beside Reggie at the opening of Reggie's office.
Both men were smiling.
Uncle Thomas noticed me looking at it.
"Your brother was very ambitious when he started.""
"He still is," I replied.
"Ambition is useful when it's accompanied by discipline.""
He gestured toward the sofa.
"Sit down.""
Mother sat first. I remained standing.
"Where is Reggie?"" Uncle Thomas asked.
"He's getting legal advice," I said.
His expression darkened.
"Legal advice? From whom?""
"That's private.""
He laughed.
"Simone, this is a family matter.""
"Then why did you sign a declaration denying your involvement in a company account opened in my name?""
His smile disappeared.
Mother looked between us.
"Thomas, what is she talking about?""
Uncle Thomas loosened his tie.
"I don't know what Reggie has told you, but I have never opened an account in Simone's name.""
"I didn't say you opened it. I said you knew about it.""
"Knowing about something isn't the same as being responsible for it.""
"Then you should have no problem explaining the messages where you instructed Reggie to complete my authorization.""
He stared at me.
For the first time since I'd arrived, his polished confidence faltered.
"Those messages are being taken out of context.""
"Then provide the context.""
He walked toward the fireplace.
"Reggie came to me with a failing business. I tried to help him. I provided money, advice, and introductions. He assured me that his company was financially sound.""
"And when it wasn't?""
"He made decisions without consulting me.""
"Did you know he was using my identity?""
Uncle Thomas turned around.
"I knew he had listed you as an administrative contact.""
"That isn't what I asked.""
His jaw tightened.
"Reggie told me you were aware of the arrangement.""
"Did he show you a signed authorization?""
He hesitated.
"No.""
"Did you ask me whether I had agreed?""
"No.""
"Then why did you sign a declaration saying you knew nothing about it?""
Mother rose.
"Thomas, did you know Simone's name was being used without her permission?""
He looked at her with an expression of practiced disappointment.
"Denise, you know how complicated business can be. People use family members to help with paperwork all the time.""
"Not without their permission," I said.
He ignored me.
"Your son was in trouble. I was trying to save his company.""
"By letting him put my name on it?""
"By giving him an opportunity to recover.""
"An opportunity that apparently required him to lie.""
Uncle Thomas's face hardened.
"Your brother is an adult. He made his own decisions.""
There it was.
The same defense Reggie had used at dinner when Mr. Brooks confronted him.
Nobody wanted to be responsible for the person they had encouraged.
Uncle Thomas walked to a side table and poured himself coffee.
"I suggest you stop making accusations you can't support.""
I took out my phone.
"I have the emails.""
"Emails can be misunderstood.""
"I have the account documents.""
"Documents can be incomplete.""
"I have your message telling Reggie to make sure my authorization was complete before Monday.""
He stopped pouring.
Coffee spilled over the rim of the cup and onto the saucer.
Mother stared at him.
"You wrote that?""
Uncle Thomas set the pot down.
"That message was about administrative preparation. I never told him to forge anything.""
"Did you know he hadn't asked me?"" I said.
He didn't answer.
I stepped closer.
"Did you?""
His eyes narrowed.
"I knew Reggie was under pressure. I knew he needed financial backing. I assumed he had discussed the arrangement with you.""
"You assumed?""
"Yes.""
"Without asking me?""
He set down his cup.
"You're making this sound much worse than it was.""
I felt a strange calm settle over me.
For years, I had watched Uncle Thomas dominate family conversations by speaking with absolute certainty. He could turn a question into an insult and an insult into a lecture about loyalty.
But now, with my name on the paperwork, his certainty was beginning to crack.
"You signed a declaration denying responsibility," I said.
"If you believe you did nothing wrong, why not tell the investigators exactly what you knew?""
His face reddened.
"Because I will not allow Reggie's incompetence to destroy everything I've built.""
Mother stepped backward.
I looked at her.
She was crying silently.
"Thomas," she whispered, "he's your nephew.""
"And I have done more for him than anyone in this family.""
"That doesn't give you the right to use Simone.""
He looked at Mother with disbelief.
"You think I'm the villain here?""
"I think you knew something was wrong.""
For a moment, nobody spoke.
Then Uncle Thomas reached into a drawer and removed a thick envelope.
He placed it on the coffee table.
"If you want the truth, read this.""
I didn't touch it.
"What is it?""
"Records of every loan I've made to Reggie. Every payment. Every agreement. If you want to see who created the mess, start there.""
"I will, through my attorney.""
He laughed.
"Of course. You people have turned everything into a legal battle.""
"You signed a legal declaration," I replied.
"You made it a legal matter.""
His expression changed.
"You sound just like your father.""
The words struck me unexpectedly.
Our father had died eleven years earlier, but Uncle Thomas still found ways to use his memory as a weapon.
"Don't bring Dad into this," I said.
"Why not? He understood business. He understood that people sometimes have to make difficult choices.""
"He also understood that you don't build a future by making someone else carry your lies.""
Uncle Thomas's eyes flashed.
"You have no idea what your father understood.""
"Then tell me.""
He opened his mouth.
For a moment, I thought he might finally reveal something real.
Instead, he turned away.
"Get out of my house.""
Mother looked at him as if he had slapped her.
"Thomas—"
"Both of you. Leave.""
I took Mother's arm and guided her toward the door.
We had barely reached the porch when a black sedan pulled into the driveway.
Reggie stepped out.
He looked tired, but his expression was different from the night before. He carried a folder under one arm and walked toward us with a determination I hadn't seen in years.
"Simone," he said, "wait.""
I stopped.
"Did you get an attorney?""
"Yes.""
"Good.""
He looked toward the house.
"I need to speak to Uncle Thomas.""
"Not alone.""
He nodded.
Then he reached into his folder and removed several printed pages.
"I brought something.""
I glanced at the papers.
They were copies of emails between him and Uncle Thomas, including messages I hadn't seen before.
One was dated two days before the account had been opened.
*Thomas: If the bank asks, Simone is the guarantor. Keep the arrangement simple. We cannot have another delay.*
Below it was Reggie's reply.
*Reggie: She hasn't agreed to this.*
Uncle Thomas's response was only one sentence.
*Thomas: Then don't ask her until the money is secured. By that point, she'll have no reason to refuse.*
My blood ran cold.
I looked at Reggie.
"You kept these?""
He nodded.
"I found them last night. I had forgotten they were in an old email folder.""
"Why didn't you show them to me before?""
He lowered his eyes.
"Because I was still hoping I could fix everything without admitting what I'd done.""
I looked toward the front door.
Uncle Thomas was standing behind the glass, watching us.
Reggie took a breath.
"I need to tell him I'm done.""
I held his gaze.
"Then tell him. But don't expect me to lie for you.""
"I won't.""
He walked toward the house.
I watched him climb the steps, knock once, and enter without waiting for an invitation.
Mother stood beside me, trembling.
A minute later, voices rose inside.
We couldn't hear every word, but we heard Uncle Thomas shout, "You ungrateful fool!""
Then Reggie answered, louder than I had ever heard him speak to his uncle.
"You told me to use her name!""
A heavy silence followed.
Mother reached for my hand.
The front door opened again.
Uncle Thomas emerged, his face flushed with anger.
He looked directly at me.
"You have no idea what you're about to uncover.""
Then he pointed at Reggie.
"Tell her what your father did.""
Reggie went completely still.
Mother's fingers tightened around mine.
"My husband?"" she whispered.
Uncle Thomas gave a bitter laugh.
"Yes, Denise. Your husband.""
May you like
He looked at me with an expression that held something more complicated than anger.
"Your brother isn't the first Carter to make a financial mistake. And if you want to understand why this family has been protecting secrets for years, you need to ask what happened to the money your father left behind.""
