Chapter 7: The Woman From My Mother’s Past
The woman stood at the front door for almost thirty seconds before knocking.
Not impatiently.
Not nervously.
Like she already knew she belonged there.
Grandma Pearl didn’t move.
“Who is she?”” I whispered.
Grandma’s jaw tightened.
“Her name is Claire.””
“Do I know her?””
“No.””
The knock came again.
Dad walked into the hallway.
“What’s going on?””
Nobody answered.
He looked between us.
Then toward the door.
“Who is it?””
Grandma finally spoke.
“Someone who should have come years ago.””
Dad frowned.
“What does that mean?””
Before anyone could answer, the door opened.
Claire stood there.
She looked about sixty years old.
Her hair was silver.
Her expression was tired.
But her eyes were sharp.
They reminded me of Grandma.
“Pearl.””
Grandma stared.
“Claire.””
The woman looked past her.
Then she saw me.
Her expression softened.
“Oh.””
I felt uncomfortable.
“Who are you?””
Claire took a slow breath.
“I was your mother’s best friend.””
The words hit me harder than I expected.
I had spent years collecting pieces of my mother from people.
A recipe.
A photograph.
A memory.
Now another person appeared carrying an entire missing part of her.
Dad stepped forward.
“Why are you here?””
Claire looked at him.
“Because Victoria is not the only person who lied.””
The room went silent.
My father’s face changed.
“What?””
Claire looked at Grandma.
“You never told him.””
Grandma looked away.
“I was trying to protect him.””
Claire shook her head.
“You protected everyone except the truth.””
Dad’s voice became tense.
“What truth?””
Claire walked inside.
She placed a folder on the table.
“I have proof.””
Nobody touched it.
“What kind of proof?”” Dad asked.
Claire looked at me.
“About your mother.””
My heart raced.
“Was my mom trying to tell us something?””
Claire nodded.
“Yes.””
She opened the folder.
Inside were photographs.
Documents.
Emails.
The first picture showed my mother.
Standing beside Victoria.
I froze.
“What?””
Dad stared.
“You knew each other?””
Claire nodded.
“Before Victoria married you.””
My father looked confused.
“No.””
“Yes.””
Claire placed another document down.
“Victoria didn’t meet your family by accident.””
The room felt colder.
Dad picked up the paper.
His face changed as he read.
“She worked at the same company as my wife.””
Claire nodded.
“And she knew Sarah.””
My mother’s name sounded strange coming from a stranger.
“She knew everything about her.””
I looked at the papers.
“Why?””
Claire hesitated.
“Because Victoria wanted what Sarah had.””
Dad looked up.
“What?””
Claire’s voice lowered.
“Her life.””
Nobody spoke.
She continued.
“Sarah had a loving husband. A beautiful daughter. A stable home. People respected her.””
Dad shook his head.
“That’s impossible.””
Claire looked at him sadly.
“You want it to be.””
The words hurt because they were true.
Claire pointed at the documents.
“Victoria spent months studying your family before she ever approached you.””
My stomach turned.
“She planned it?””
Claire nodded.
“She knew about Sarah’s illness.””
Dad looked devastated.
“She knew?””
“Yes.””
“And she still…”
Claire didn’t finish.
She didn’t need to.
Grandma closed her eyes.
“I suspected.””
I looked at her.
“You knew?””
Grandma looked ashamed.
“I knew something was wrong.””
“Why didn’t you tell Dad?””
She looked at my father.
“Because your mother asked me not to.””
Dad looked shocked.
“Mom?””
Grandma nodded.
“Sarah believed people could change.””
Claire whispered:
“That was her greatest weakness.””
I looked at the documents again.
“But why destroy the tree?””
Claire looked at me.
“Because she was losing control.””
“What?””
“Victoria spent years removing Sarah’s presence.””
Claire tapped the papers.
“But she never found the final thing Sarah left behind.””
I remembered the letter.
“The garden.””
Claire looked at Grandma.
“You found it?””
Grandma nodded.
Claire exhaled.
“Then we’re out of time.””
Dad frowned.
“What does that mean?””
Claire looked toward the window.
“Victoria knows.””
A chill ran through me.
“How?””
Claire’s expression hardened.
“Because she called me this morning.””
Nobody moved.
“What did she say?”” Grandma asked.
Claire looked at all of us.
“She said if she couldn’t own Sarah’s legacy…”
She paused.
“…then nobody would.””
The lights suddenly flickered.
Everyone looked up.
Then the power went out.
May you like
And from outside the house…
We heard the sound of breaking glass.
