Chapter 9 - THE PROMISE HE COULDN’T MAKE
“What loan?” I asked.
Matthew gripped the stair rail. “I asked my manager if the company could advance me money. He wanted to know how I’d pay it back.”
“And you mentioned my house.”
“I said I’d inherit it someday.”
“You said more than that.”
He looked at me then. “I said you were planning to sell.”
The truth came out in pieces. Matthew’s hours had been cut in October. He had hidden it from Jessica while he looked for another position. By the time she found out, they were behind on rent and several bills.
His manager hadn’t lent him anything. He had introduced him to Daniel at Hearthstone.
“I never agreed to put your house up as collateral,” Matthew said. “There are no loan papers.”
“You promised money you didn’t have.”
“I know.”
“You promised mine.”
He nodded.
I sat beside him, leaving a step between us. When he was little, he used to wait for me on those stairs when he had broken something. Once it was a lamp. Once it was George’s fishing rod. He always believed telling me would make me stop loving him.
I had always thought I’d taught him otherwise.
“I can care about what happened to you,” I said, “and still hold you responsible for what you did.”
“I know.”
“I’m not sure you do.”
He looked down at his hands. “I was afraid you’d think I was a failure.”
“I think you were in trouble. Then you took my money and moved into my bedroom.”
He flinched. I let the words stand.
The following morning was Christmas Eve. Matthew packed two suitcases. Jessica packed nothing.
“She says she’ll stay until you give us a reasonable amount of time,” he told me.
“Helen has explained the notice.”
“She thinks you’ll back down.”
“Do you?”
He shook his head. “Not anymore.”
I found him later in the garage, trying to repair George’s star. He had glued the broken point, but the wood had split along the grain.
“Dad let me hold it while he nailed it together,” he said. “I thought it was ugly.”
“You told him that.”
“He said I was right.” Matthew managed a small smile. “Then he put it on the tree anyway.”
I took the star from him. “He liked making things with you.”
Matthew’s eyes filled. “I know.”
Jessica appeared in the doorway. “The hotel rates are insane. Tell me you didn’t book one.”
“I booked two nights,” he said.
“Cancel it.”
“We’re leaving.”
She looked at me as if I had ordered him to say it. “Ellie, tell your son to stop being ridiculous.”
I said nothing.
May you like
Jessica took a folded sheet of paper from her pocket and held it out to him.
“Then tell her what you signed,” she said.
