“You never corrected us,” she said weakly.
“I corrected you dozens of times,” I said. “You didn’t listen. You’d already decided who I was, so you filtered everything I said through that belief. I told you I was deputy chief of mission. You heard works and consulting. I told you the property was for work. You heard doesn’t use it. I told you my travel was essential. You heard gallivanting.”
Richard ended his call and approached carefully.
“My lawyer says this is serious. That your parents could face federal charges, fraud, violations of the Foreign Missions Act. He says they could go to prison.”
“They could,” I agreed. “Depends on what the investigation reveals about their intent and knowledge.”
“You have to help them,” he pressed.
“Why?” I asked simply.
“Because they’re family.”
“Family doesn’t sell your home without asking,” I said. “Family doesn’t take a $560,000 finder fee from your property. Family doesn’t dismiss your career and mock your choices and treat you like you’re incompetent. They did all of those things. Now they’re facing consequences.”
“So you’re going to let them go to prison?” Natalie asked, horrified.
“I’m going to tell the truth to federal investigators,” I said. “What happens after that is out of my control. If they’re charged, they’ll have lawyers. If they’re convicted, they’ll have appeals. But I’m not going to lie or manipulate or abuse my position to protect them from the consequences of their own actions.”
“That’s cold,” Richard said.
“That’s professional,” I corrected. “I’m a diplomatic official. I’m held to a higher standard. I can’t use my position to interfere with federal investigations, and I wouldn’t even if I could. They broke the law. That matters more than family loyalty.”
My phone rang again.
Director Morrison.
“Alexis, we need you back in Vienna immediately. The situation here is escalating and we need the deputy chief of mission in country. Can you be on a plane tonight?”
“Yes,” I said. “I’ll head to the airport now.”
“Good. I’m sorry about your family situation.”
“It is what it is,” I said. “They made their choices.”
I ended the call and stood.
“I have to go. I’m needed in Vienna.”
“Now?” Natalie looked incredulous. “Alexis, Mom and Dad are being interrogated by federal agents, and you’re just leaving.”
“I have a job,” I said simply. “A job that matters. A job that takes precedence over family drama that my parents created themselves.”
“You’re unbelievable,” she said.
“No,” I corrected. “I’m finally done letting you all treat me like I’m the problem. You sold my house. You took more than half a million dollars. You violated federal law. Those are your problems, not mine.”
I collected my coat and bag.
“What should we tell Mom and Dad?” Richard asked.
“Tell them I hope they’ve learned to ask questions before making assumptions,” I said. “Tell them that dismissing someone doesn’t make them less competent. It just makes you blind. Tell them that I spent four years trying to help them understand my life and they spent 4 years refusing to listen.”
“You’re really just leaving,” Natalie said, and it wasn’t a question.
