Chapter 13 - PATRICIA’S PLEA
Patricia accepted responsibility first.
False notarization.
No claim she forged.
No claim she knew entire company crisis.
She admitted:
She notarized without my presence.
She accepted Margaret’s word.
She knew rules required personal acknowledgment.
She was afraid of losing her job.
She chose employer over duty.
Her plea included:
Probation.
Loss/suspension of notary commission.
Fine.
Community service.
Cooperation.
No prison.
Proportionate.
Then she testified in civil deposition.
“Did Wesley know Nora had not signed before you notarized?”
Patricia hesitated.
“I don’t know.”
“Did he say Nora signed?”
“He said his mother had handled it.”
“Did he ask if you had seen Nora?”
“No.”
“Would that be normal?”
“No.”
“Did he appear concerned?”
“Yes.”
“How?”
“He said, ‘This has to close today.’”
Urgency.
Then after notarization:
WESLEY:
Done?
PATRICIA:
Yes.
WESLEY:
Thank you. Mom owes you.
Not confession.
Then ratification request:
WESLEY:
We need real signature now.
PATRICIA:
I thought first was real.
No reply.
That silence mattered.
Patricia’s lawyer handed it over.
Wesley’s defense now worse.
He knew by ratification stage the first signature was not real.
Did he know at original closing?
Still question.
Criminal conspiracy required when he joined.
Even if not before, his attempt to secure deceptive ratification afterward could be separate fraud.
Prosecutor amended theory carefully.
No pile-on charges.
Then June turned three months.
She smiled for first time at Wesley during a visit.
He cried.
I watched from kitchen.
My therapist asked later:
“What did you feel?”
“Angry she loves him.”
“Babies don’t love according to evidence rules.”
I laughed reluctantly.
He was her father.
He changed diapers.
Sang badly.
Brought no gifts that needed approval.
He complied with every schedule.
Family court expanded visits slightly.
No overnight yet due feeding.
I did not object.
Boundaries, not punishment.
Then Margaret requested to send June a blanket.
I said no.
Why?
Because every object from her felt like a hook.
Was that rational forever?
Maybe not.
For now, yes.
She sent it anyway to Wesley.
He did not pass it to June.
He returned it.
Another small change.
Margaret called him disloyal.
He preserved message.
MARGARET:
After everything I did to save your company, you choose Nora.
WESLEY:
I am choosing the court order and June’s mother’s boundary.
Margaret:
Same thing.
Wesley:
No.
That “no” may have been the first clean one he ever gave her.
Then Willow Hall sale vote.
Board approved contingent contract despite Margaret’s opposition under distress provisions.
She sued board to block closing.
Claims:
No true liquidity emergency because she could personally refinance.
Board said:
Then provide binding financing within five business days.
She could.
But doing so required pledging her own investment portfolio.
She had spent months asking me to risk my house.
Now the same question came to her.
She requested extension.
Board said no.
May you like
Five days.
The company waited.
