“Then why keep records?”
“So that when the time comes, what Melissa has already received can be taken into account. You would receive an equivalent amount first. Whatever remains after that gets divided between you.”
For several seconds, the only sound in the room was the hallway clock.
I had opened that drawer expecting proof that Melissa had taken advantage of Mom.
Instead, I had discovered that Mom had quietly been planning for both daughters all along.
“I don’t want $137,500,” I said.
Mom smiled gently.
“I know.”
“That isn’t why I’m angry.”
“I know that too.”
Then I looked at Melissa.
“Did you know?”
“Know what?”
“That Mom considers all this part of what you would eventually inherit?”
Melissa didn’t answer.
“Melissa.”
“Yes.”
My anger returned instantly.
“You knew?”
“Mom told me.”
“So you knew she had already given you more than a hundred thousand dollars. And yesterday, for her seventieth birthday, you handed her twenty dollars and joked that she didn’t need much?”
“Amanda, this isn’t about twenty dollars.”
“You’re right. It isn’t.”
Mom stood.
“Enough.”
“No, Mom.”
I turned toward her.
“How many times have you told me something was too expensive?”
“I never said I couldn’t afford anything.”
“You said it wasn’t worth spending the money.”
“Sometimes it wasn’t.”
“Your old car was falling apart before you finally replaced it.”
“It still ran.”
“You canceled the trip with your friends.”
“I didn’t care that much about going.”
“You always say that.”
Mom’s face changed.
