Chapter 3 - HER FRONT DOOR
Maddie woke to June coughing and Theo asking whether the loud man was coming back.
“No,” she said.
The promise came too quickly.
Grant stood in her kitchen making toast.
“You should tell someone what happened.”
“I’m telling you.”
“A lawyer.”
“I can’t afford another lawyer.”
“You can afford mine.”
She shook her head.
“I won’t owe you for this.”
Grant turned off the burner.
“You helped my sister get through chemo when I couldn’t get her to answer the phone. You moved into her spare room and kept her eating. We passed owing each other a long time ago.”
His sister, Elise, owned Maddie’s apartment.
The rent was low because Maddie handled the building’s bookkeeping.
Help had kept her standing.
Pride had nearly knocked her down.
A knock sounded at the door.
Grant looked through the peephole.
“Stay here.”
Vance stood in the hallway holding an envelope.
No security team.
No mistress.
No expensive smile.
“I’m not here to make a scene.”
“Then leave,” Grant said.
Maddie stepped beside him.
“What’s in the envelope?”
“The letters.”
Her face changed.
Vance held them out.
“I found them.”
“You mean someone finally let you.”
“Yes.”
“Don’t make this about people keeping you in the dark. You left. Everything after that started with you.”
He nodded.
“I know.”
Theo appeared behind her, dragging a stuffed rabbit.
“Mom?”
Vance looked down.
The boy’s pajama sleeve was twisted.
One sock had slipped halfway off.
Ordinary details.
Things fathers saw every morning.
Things Vance had missed for two years.
Maddie crouched.
“Go help June with her blocks.”
Theo studied Vance.
“Are you the shouting man?”
Vance’s throat tightened.
“Yes.”
“Mom doesn’t like shouting.”
“I’m sorry I scared you.”
Theo considered that, then disappeared into the living room.
Vance looked back at Maddie.
“I want to help.”
“Help isn’t the same as access.”
“I understand.”
“You don’t. But you can learn.”
Grant took the envelope.
“Through counsel.”
Maddie started closing the door.
“There’s something else,” Vance said.
She stopped.
“My initials are on a note saying I knew.”
“Did you?”
“No.”
She watched him for a long moment.
Then she went to a drawer and returned with a folded paper.
“Your mother came to see me when I was seven months pregnant.”
Vance opened it.
A check for fifty thousand dollars.
Uncashed.
May you like
Across the bottom, his mother had written six words.
Accept this and leave him alone.
