Chapter 18
He nodded slowly.
“I understand.”
“And I won’t discuss my inheritance as though it belongs to you.”
“I understand that, too.”
I studied his face.
“Do you?”
He looked directly at me.
“Yes, Mom.”
I wanted to believe him.
This time, I allowed myself to hope without making a financial commitment.
It was a small distinction, but it felt like a new beginning.
For the next month, Benjamin did what he had promised.
He met with the restructuring adviser.
He listed equipment for sale.
He reviewed the household budget with Genevieve, and he began applying for jobs that would provide a stable income while he worked through the business debts.
He also visited me twice without asking for anything.
Once, he brought groceries because he knew I had been too busy with appointments to shop.
The second time, he repaired a loose hinge on the kitchen cabinet.
I thanked him both times.
I did not give him money.
Genevieve remained distant.
She sent occasional messages about Lily, but she never apologized for the dinner or for her comments about assisted living.
I stopped expecting her to.
A person could spend a lifetime waiting for an apology that might never arrive.
I had other things to do.
I began attending a weekly book club at the library.
I called Helen, my oldest friend, and accepted her invitation to join a small walking group in the park.
I took the pearl earrings out of their box and wore them to a concert.
The first evening I returned home after a long walk, I realized I had gone nearly an entire day without thinking about Benjamin’s finances.
I stood in my kitchen and laughed.
Not the quiet, practiced laugh I had used to smooth over insults.
A real laugh.
It startled me.
Then it made me happy.
I began to understand what Thomas had been trying to protect.
Not simply my money.
My ability to live without constantly anticipating someone else’s emergency.
Two months after the dinner that never happened, Richard called.
“Eleanor, there’s something new you should know.”
I was sitting on the porch with a blanket over my knees, watching the last leaves fall from the maple tree.
“Is Benjamin in trouble again?”
“Not exactly.
But there has been a development involving the trust.”
I sat up.
“What kind of development?”
“An attorney representing one of Benjamin’s business creditors contacted the trust administrator.