Chapter 6 - ASHLEY CALLS IT FAIRNESS
Ashley showed up at my townhouse.
I did not let her inside.
Noah was with a sitter.
“What do you want?”
She stood on the porch wearing sunglasses despite clouds.
“My iPad.”
I almost laughed.
“It belongs to Emma.”
“Then take it.”
I had brought the sealed box home with the contract.
I handed it through the doorway.
Ashley did not take it.
“Summit Crest won’t activate the enrollment until the sponsor issue is cleared.”
“Correct.”
“You’re really doing this.”
“I never agreed to twenty-eight thousand dollars.”
“You can afford it.”
There it was.
“Not relevant.”
“It is relevant.”
“How?”
“Because Emma deserves opportunities.”
“So does Noah.”
“He’s five.”
“And therefore?”
“He doesn’t need money yet.”
I stared at her.
“Do you hear yourself?”
She crossed her arms.
“Grandma Evelyn created that trust for family.”
“Yes.”
“You have barely used your side.”
“Because I don’t need to.”
“Exactly.”
I laughed.
“That is not how ownership works.”
“It’s family money.”
“Then why forge my signature?”
Her face changed.
Barely.
“I didn’t forge anything.”
“You submitted the forms.”
“Dad handled trust paperwork.”
“Verification codes went to Mom.”
She stopped.
Then:
“You always said yes.”
“No.”
“Eventually.”
That word.
I felt cold.
“Did Mom tell you that?”
Ashley looked away.
Enough.
“What did she tell you?”
“Rachel.”
“What did Mom say?”
Ashley exploded.
“She said you would never let Emma lose something over money!”
“And you translated that into permission to sign my name?”
“You’re making it sound criminal.”
“I’m describing what happened.”
She pointed toward my house.
“You have a paid-off mortgage.”
“Partially paid.”
“Good job.”
“You have Adam’s insurance.”
“For Noah.”
“You have your business.”
“I work.”
“I work too!”
“Then pay for the camp.”
Her eyes filled.
“I can’t.”
For one second, she looked like my sister.
Not the woman who laughed at Noah.
The girl who used to crawl into my bed after thunderstorms.
“I can’t,” she repeated.
“Then Emma doesn’t go.”
Her face hardened again.
“You would punish a child?”
“No.”
“I’m saying adults cannot promise children things using somebody else’s money.”
May you like
She looked at me as though I had become cruel.
Maybe in our family, limits always looked cruel to the person who never had to practice them.
