Chapter 8 - THE MESSAGES FROM MOM
For years Marietta had sent me screenshots.
Mom says stop being dramatic.
Mom says Aubrielle isn’t entitled to family jewelry.
Mom says if you keep treating Marietta like an enemy, don’t expect estate favors.
Mom says she’s done paying for Aubrielle’s extras.
I had assumed screenshots were forwarded text exchanges.
Some looked exactly like Cecily’s phone.
Gray bubbles.
Blue bubbles.
Contact header.
Time.
Naomi asked:
“Do you still have originals?”
I had twenty-three.
Cecily reviewed.
Seven were real.
Or substantially real.
That hurt.
Example:
CECILY:
I wish Weston would stop turning every disagreement into a referendum on Aubrielle.
Real.
Context?
Cecily had been complaining after I accused Marietta of excluding Aubrielle from a holiday photograph.
Then Marietta cropped the next line:
CECILY:
But Marietta also needs to stop talking about adoption like it is temporary.
Convenient omission.
Another real message:
CECILY:
I am not discussing my will every time Weston gets angry.
Marietta forwarded:
Mom says she’ll change the will if you keep this up.
Interpretation.
Not exact.
Then fabricated-looking ones.
CECILY:
Aubrielle is Weston's responsibility, not mine.
Cecily denied ever writing.
Another:
CECILY:
Livia is my blood granddaughter. There are things that belong to her first.
Cecily stared at it.
“I said something close once.”
I clenched my jaw.
“What?”
“I told Marietta the emerald brooch came through my grandmother and I felt sentimental about keeping it in the blood line.”
There.
Again.
A real bias.
But had she written that message?
“No.”
Digital forensic review needed.
Screenshots can be fabricated easily.
No metadata from screenshot alone.
We sought Marietta’s relevant phone data through civil discovery only after Cecily filed an accounting action regarding power-of-attorney transactions.
That took time.
Court limited scope.
Good.
No rummaging through her entire life.
Meanwhile Cecily and I had to face something uncomfortable.
I had treated her as innocent messenger victim.
She wasn’t entirely.
She had said things.
Not about birthday cake.
Not about hitting Aubrielle.
Not about charity.
But blood heirlooms.
Estate frustration.
“Your sister is exhausting.”
“If you two cannot get along, I’ll leave everything to charity.”
Ironically charity.
Marietta weaponized genuine irritation.
Then Cecily said:
“I need to apologize to Aubrielle.”
I stopped her.
“For what?”
“For letting Marietta think I ranked them.”
“That apology is about Aubrielle, not your guilt.”
“I know.”
“Do you?”
She looked at me.
“Probably not enough.”
Good.
We asked Maya.
She suggested:
Short.
Concrete.
No estate talk.
Cecily video-called Aubrielle.
“Grandma said some things about family objects that made Aunt Marietta think I might believe one granddaughter mattered more than another.”
Aubrielle frowned.
“Do you?”
“No.”
Then Cecily paused.
“I have had some old-fashioned thoughts about blood and heirlooms. That was wrong.”
Better.
Aubrielle asked:
“What heirloom?”
Of course.
Cecily laughed softly.
“Old jewelry.”
“Can I wear?”
“Not until you are much older.”
Aubrielle lost interest.
Good.
Then:
“Are you cutting Daddy off?”
Cecily’s face crumpled.
“No.”
“Ever?”
That was a trap.
She answered well.
“My money is my responsibility, but I will never use money to decide whether you are family.”
There.
Not promise Weston inheritance.
Not lie.
The right boundary.
Then Aubrielle asked:
“Can cake be family?”
Cecily smiled.
“Cake is for whoever’s birthday it is.”
Simple.
May you like
That line did not need to become evidence.
It just needed to be true.
