Chapter 1: The Money Behind the Bow
Tasha looked straight at our father.
Her lips barely moved.
“Dad… you used Mom’s money?””
Marcus didn’t answer.
That silence told me everything.
I looked down at the bank notice again. The numbers blurred for a second before I forced myself to read them.
*$49,800.00*
The transaction had been made two days earlier.
The recipient was the Toyota dealership sitting across town.
The same dealership where the black Highlander had been purchased.
My stomach dropped.
“No,” I whispered.
Tasha pulled the paper against her chest.
Marcus finally spoke.
“It isn't what you think.””
Tasha laughed once.
It wasn't a happy laugh.
It was the kind that came out when someone had been hurt so badly that crying wasn't enough anymore.
“Then explain it.””
Marcus glanced toward the neighbors.
“Not here.””
Tasha pointed at the notice.
“You said my trust account was for college.””
“It is.””
“Then why did you spend almost fifty thousand dollars from it?””
My mother stepped between them.
“Tasha, calm down.””
Tasha stared at her.
“You knew?””
Nia's expression changed.
Just slightly.
But I saw it.
So did Tasha.
“You knew,” Tasha repeated.
“I knew your father was handling the finances,” Mom said.
“That isn't what I asked.””
“Tasha—”
“Did you know?””
My mother looked away.
Tasha's face crumpled.
I reached for her hand again.
She grabbed mine so tightly that her fingers hurt.
“Why?”” she whispered.
Marcus rubbed his forehead.
“The dealership required a substantial down payment. Your father needed access to the funds temporarily.””
“Temporarily?””
Tasha's voice rose.
“You bought Maya a car with my mother's money!””
Nobody spoke.
The birthday music continued playing from the porch.
Some cheerful pop song about having the best day ever.
I wanted to rip the speakers from the wall.
I turned toward Marcus.
“You told me the car was from you.””
“It is.””
“No. It isn't.””
His eyes hardened.
“You don't understand how family finances work.””
“Then explain them.””
“Maya,” Mom warned.
I ignored her.
“Explain why Tasha's college money bought my birthday present.””
Marcus stepped closer.
“You're seventeen. You have no idea what it costs to maintain this household.””
“And Tasha is nineteen, working nights at a grocery store while you take fifty thousand dollars from her account?””
His face flushed.
“Watch your mouth.””
Tasha suddenly stepped forward.
“No.””
Everyone looked at her.
She wiped her tears with the back of her hand.
“No, Dad. You watch yours.””
Marcus froze.
Tasha had never spoken to him that way.
Not once in the six years I'd known her.
“You told me Mom left me enough money for school,” she said.
“You told me it was protected.””
“It is protected.””
“From whom?””
Marcus said nothing.
Tasha looked at me.
Then at the Highlander.
Then back at him.
“Did you even plan to tell me?””
“I was going to replace it.””
“When?””
He hesitated.
“When?””
“I said I was going to replace it.””
“With what?””
Silence.
Tasha nodded slowly.
“That's what I thought.””
She turned and started walking.
I followed.
Behind us, my mother called my name.
“Maya!””
I kept going.
We reached the corner before Tasha stopped beneath a large oak tree.
She leaned against the trunk.
For several seconds, neither of us spoke.
Then she whispered, “I knew something was wrong.””
“What do you mean?””
“Every time I asked Dad about the trust, he changed the subject.””
She unfolded the notice again.
“I thought maybe I was being paranoid.””
“You weren't.””
Tasha swallowed.
“My mom left me that money before she died. Dad promised he'd never touch it.””
I stared at the transaction date.
“Why would he do this?””
“I don't know.””
A car passed on the street.
The breeze moved the leaves above us.
Then Tasha noticed something I hadn't.
She pointed to the bottom of the notice.
“Maya.””
“What?””
“There are more transactions.””
My heart stopped.
She unfolded the paper completely.
There were several withdrawals listed beneath the dealership payment.
$7,500.
$12,000.
$4,300.
$18,000.
Different dates.
Different descriptions.
All from the same trust account.
Tasha's hand began shaking.
“How much is left?””
I looked at the balance.
Neither of us spoke.
Because the number was almost nothing.
Tasha covered her mouth.
“No.””
I pulled her into a hug.
She broke down against my shoulder.
And while I held her, I heard footsteps behind us.
Marcus had followed us.
He stopped a few feet away.
His voice was quiet.
“You two need to come home.””
Tasha lifted her head.
“No.””
His expression changed.
“Maya, this is between me and my daughter.””
I stepped in front of Tasha.
“Then start acting like her father.””
Marcus stared at me.
For a long moment, I thought he might yell.
Instead, he reached into his pocket.
He pulled out his phone.
Then he showed me a photograph.
It was a document.
A signature.
My signature.
I stared at it.
“What is that?””
Marcus's voice dropped.
“The reason you need to come home.””
I looked closer.
And recognized the name at the bottom.
May you like
Mine.
But I had never signed it.
