“Brighton doesn’t process through ‘Brighton Academy Family Services.’ They use an educational payment company.”
My hands began to shake.
“But this account was given to me by Melissa.”
Jason turned toward his ex-wife.
Melissa stood up suddenly.
“I’m not sitting here while you two gang up on me.”
“Sit down,” Jason said.
It was the first time I had ever heard him raise his voice.
Melissa sat.
I found the original payment instructions.
Three years earlier, Melissa had emailed me the routing information.
I had never questioned it.
Why would I have?
The document even carried Brighton Academy’s logo.
Jason stared at the page.
“That logo is old.”
“What?”
“They changed it before Tyler enrolled.”
Cold spread through my body.
I turned toward Melissa.
“Where did my money go?”
She crossed her arms.
“You agreed to help.”
“That wasn’t my question.”
“It went toward Tyler.”
“Where?”
“Expenses.”
“Which expenses?”
“Do you know how much it costs to raise a child?”
Jason gave a humorless laugh.
“I pay child support too.”
Melissa glared at him.
Suddenly, dozens of old conversations replayed in my mind.
Tyler needs this.
Tyler’s school requires that.
The insurance increased.
Mom’s car broke down.
Every crisis always came with a precise dollar amount.
And every crisis ended with me paying it.
I looked again at my banking history.
“Forty-two thousand dollars, Melissa.”
She stayed silent.
“Where is it?”
“I don’t have to explain myself to you.”
“You absolutely do.”
Then Jason pointed toward the transfer information.
“What’s MDM?”
I leaned closer.
Below the processor details was the receiving entity:
MDM FAMILY SERVICES LLC.
My heartbeat accelerated.
I recognized those initials.
