Chapter 5: The House Her Mother Left Behind
Mr. Reynolds arrived twenty minutes later.
This time, he wasn't alone.
A younger woman accompanied him, carrying a laptop and several document folders.
He introduced her as Patricia Cole, an attorney who specialized in estate and trust disputes.
Marcus stood in the living room with his arms crossed.
My mother sat on the sofa, staring at the carpet.
Tasha and I sat together at the dining table.
The birthday decorations had disappeared, but the Highlander remained outside.
Its enormous red bow was still attached.
It looked almost mocking now.
Patricia placed her laptop on the table.
"Before we begin, I want to make something clear. Nobody here should destroy documents, delete messages, transfer funds, or attempt to contact the bank to change the records.""
Marcus rolled his eyes.
"Are you accusing me of something?""
Patricia looked at him.
"I'm advising everyone to preserve evidence.""
"You're making this sound like a criminal investigation.""
"Whether it becomes one depends on what the evidence establishes.""
He leaned back.
"Unbelievable.""
Tasha looked at the attorney.
"Please tell me about the house.""
Mr. Reynolds opened a folder.
"Your mother purchased the property on Willow Creek Road before she married Marcus. She renovated it over several years and intended it to become your first home when you were ready.""
Tasha's eyes filled.
"I remember that house.""
I looked at her.
"You've been there?""
"Once. When I was little.""
She smiled faintly.
"Mom painted my bedroom yellow. She said I'd grow into the color.""
Mr. Reynolds continued.
"Your mother transferred ownership into a protected estate arrangement before she died. You were named the sole beneficiary.""
Patricia turned her laptop toward Tasha.
A property record appeared on the screen.
The address was familiar.
The ownership details were not.
Tasha stared at the screen.
"Why does it say there's a pending transfer?""
Patricia adjusted her glasses.
"That's what we're trying to determine.""
Marcus stood up.
"That property has been empty for years. Somebody has to maintain it.""
Tasha turned toward him.
"You told me it was sold.""
"I said we were considering selling it.""
"No. You told me the property had been sold to cover your debts.""
Marcus rubbed his jaw.
"Because it wasn't worth keeping.""
"It's my house.""
"You're nineteen. You don't need an entire property.""
Patricia interrupted.
"Mr. Johnson, please sit down.""
He ignored her.
"I have maintained this family for six years. I've paid for food, electricity, insurance, and everything else.""
Tasha's eyes narrowed.
"And you want me to thank you for using my inheritance?""
Marcus pointed toward her.
"Your mother left you money, yes. But she left you with responsibilities too.""
"What responsibilities?""
"Being part of this family.""
Tasha shook her head.
"Being part of this family has meant cleaning your kitchen, working evenings, and asking permission to use a car that I helped pay for.""
My mother looked up.
"Tasha, that's not fair.""
Tasha turned toward her.
"Do you remember my nineteenth birthday?""
Nia blinked.
"Of course.""
"What did you give me?""
My mother hesitated.
Marcus answered for her.
"Fifty dollars.""
Tasha looked at him.
"Do you remember what you said?""
He sighed.
"I told you to be responsible.""
"You said I was lucky to get anything because you were already spending too much money on me.""
My mother began crying.
Tasha continued.
"I went to work that night. I served customers for six hours. When I came home, you were both watching television.""
She paused.
"Do you know what I did with the fifty dollars?""
Nobody answered.
"I put it in an envelope with my college application money. I was trying to save enough to move into a dorm.""
Her voice cracked.
"And you were transferring thousands of dollars out of my trust.""
I looked at Marcus.
For once, he had nothing to say.
Patricia returned to the property records.
"There's another concern. The attempted sale was initiated using a power of attorney document.""
Tasha leaned forward.
"Whose signature?""
Patricia looked at the screen.
"Your signature.""
Tasha closed her eyes.
"Again?""
"Yes. However, the document contains inconsistencies.""
"What inconsistencies?""
"The notary information doesn't match the commission records. We're checking the original submission.""
Marcus laughed.
"This is ridiculous. I had permission to manage her affairs.""
Tasha looked directly at him.
"From whom?""
"Your mother.""
"She's dead.""
The room went silent.
Tasha immediately looked down.
She hadn't said it to be cruel.
It was simply the truth.
Her mother was gone.
And every time someone used Elena's name to justify taking something from Tasha, they were using the memory of a woman who couldn't defend herself.
Mr. Reynolds opened another envelope.
"There's something else your mother left.""
Tasha looked up.
"Another letter?""
"Not exactly.""
He removed a small photograph.
It showed Elena standing in front of a modest white house with a yellow front door.
Tasha gasped.
"That's Willow Creek.""
Beside her mother stood a little girl wearing a yellow dress.
Tasha recognized herself.
She was holding a red balloon.
On the back of the photograph, Elena had written:
For Tasha. A home is where you are loved without having to earn it.
Tasha pressed the photograph against her chest.
I reached across the table.
She held my hand.
Then Patricia spoke.
"We also located a document connected to the property sale.""
She turned her laptop around.
The screen showed a purchase offer.
The proposed buyer was a company called Johnson Home Solutions.
The offer price was $165,000.
Tasha frowned.
"That's Marcus's company.""
"Yes.""
"He's trying to sell my house to himself?""
"Technically, the proposed buyer is a business entity associated with him.""
I looked at the date.
The offer had been submitted nearly two months earlier.
I did the math in my head.
That was before Tasha's birthday.
Before the fifty-dollar envelope.
Before Marcus started telling everyone that money was tight.
Before my birthday car.
He had been planning this for months.
"How much is the property worth?"" I asked.
Patricia answered.
"Based on preliminary comparable sales, significantly more than the offer price.""
Tasha looked stunned.
"How much?""
"Possibly between three hundred and three hundred and forty thousand dollars, depending on the property's condition.""
I stared at Marcus.
"You're trying to buy a three-hundred-thousand-dollar house for one hundred and sixty-five thousand?""
He slammed his palm against the table.
"That's enough!""
Patricia didn't flinch.
"Please don't touch the documents.""
He pointed at Tasha.
"Your father has been trying to protect you from making terrible decisions!""
Tasha's voice was quiet.
"By selling my house?""
"You don't understand real estate.""
"Then explain it.""
Marcus opened his mouth.
Nothing came out.
My mother suddenly stood.
"I need some air.""
She walked toward the kitchen.
But before she reached the doorway, Tasha spoke.
"Mom.""
Nia stopped.
"Did you know about the house?""
My mother slowly turned.
"I knew Marcus was looking into selling it.""
"Did you know he was offering less than it was worth?""
"No.""
"Did you sign anything?""
Nia shook her head.
Then she hesitated.
"Not for the sale.""
Patricia looked up.
"What do you mean?""
My mother pressed her hands together.
"Marcus asked me to sign a document saying I had no objection to the transaction.""
Tasha's face crumpled.
"Why?""
"He said it was just to simplify the paperwork.""
"Did you read it?""
Nia didn't answer.
Patricia closed her laptop.
"Mrs. Johnson, I strongly recommend that you tell us exactly what you signed.""
My mother began to cry again.
Marcus stepped toward her.
"Don't.""
She looked at him.
"Marcus, I can't keep doing this.""
He stared at her.
"Doing what?""
"Covering for you.""
The room went completely silent.
Then Nia walked toward the dining table.
She pulled a chair out and sat down.
"I have something to tell you.""
Marcus's face changed.
"Don't you dare.""
Mom looked at Tasha.
"Three months ago, I found a folder in his office.""
Tasha leaned forward.
"What folder?""
"It contained copies of the trust statements, the property records, and several bank forms.""
"Why didn't you tell me?""
"Because Marcus said the money was being used temporarily. He promised he would replace it before you ever found out.""
Tasha's eyes filled.
"And you believed him?""
Nia looked down.
"I wanted to.""
That answer hurt more than a denial.
My mother continued.
"But there was something else in the folder.""
She reached into her handbag and removed a folded sheet of paper.
"I took this before he realized I had seen it.""
Marcus immediately stood.
"Give me that.""
Nia pulled the paper against her chest.
"No.""
For the first time, my mother was refusing him.
She placed it on the table.
Patricia opened it carefully.
Her expression changed as she read.
"What is this?"" I asked.
She turned the page around.
It was a draft of a financial agreement.
At the top were three names.
Marcus Johnson.
Nia Johnson.
And Maya Johnson.
I felt my stomach drop.
"Why is my name on this?""
Patricia read the description beneath the names.
It referenced a proposed transfer of assets and a personal financial obligation.
Tasha looked at me.
"Maya, what is it?""
I couldn't answer.
Because at the bottom of the page was a sentence that made my hands go cold.
The minor beneficiary shall remain unaware of the source of funds until the transaction is completed.
My name was listed as the minor beneficiary.
I looked at Marcus.
"What were you planning to do with me?""
He didn't answer.
Instead, Patricia slowly turned to the final page.
May you like
And there, beneath a handwritten date, was a signature.
My mother's.
