Chapter 7
The bank took the check seriously.
Priya told Nia to report the forged endorsement and gave her a list of what to bring. I went with Nia because she asked me to.
We sat across from a bank investigator named Ms. Turner. Nia laid out the lease, the disputed agreement, and the image of the check.
“I didn’t sign this,” she said.
Ms. Turner compared the signatures. “I’ll open an investigation. I can’t promise a date for the result, but you’ll receive a case number today.”
Nia wrote the number on the front of her folder.
Outside, she stood on the sidewalk and took a long breath.
“I thought I would feel better after telling someone,” she said.
“You’ve started getting answers.”
“I know. I’m just tired of every answer taking another week.”
I drove her to work, then went to mine.
The children knew there was a problem with a payment for the old house. We told them that grown-ups were handling it and that the new apartment was theirs. We kept the details short.
On Saturday, Eli asked whether I could come inside when I picked them up.
“Mom wants to show you something,” he said.
Nia had pinned a copy of the children’s height marks to the wall near the kitchen. She had measured each pencil line before we left the old house and written the dates beside them.
Ava stood under her most recent mark. “I’m taller here.”
“You’re wearing shoes,” Eli said.
“They’re my regular shoes.”
I told her she could check again without them. She wanted me to watch, so I did.
Then Nia asked if I could stay a minute. Denise was coming to take the kids to breakfast. She arrived with enough time to hear Ava’s full account of the height measurement before leading them downstairs.
When the door closed, Nia handed me a note from Eli’s teacher.
He had written a story for class about two houses connected by a bridge. Halfway through, the bridge broke. The people on either side stood still because neither knew how to cross.
“He wouldn’t finish it,” Nia said.
I read his careful handwriting. “Did he tell the teacher why?”
“He said he didn’t know what would happen next.”
The teacher had asked whether we could meet with the school counselor. I said yes. Nia had already said yes.
At the meeting, the counselor asked us about Eli’s questions and the recent move. She listened as we explained the missed assembly, the porch, and the things he had overheard.
“He may need to hear the same reassurance many times,” she said. “You can also give him a plan he can see.”
That night, Nia and I made a monthly calendar for each home. We marked school events, weekend visits, and who would pick the children up. We left room for changes, but agreed to tell them together whenever a plan changed.
Eli studied the calendar on Sunday.
“Dad comes Friday after school,” he said.
“Yes,” Nia answered.
“And Mom comes to my game Saturday?”
“Yes,” she said.
He looked at me. “You’re coming too?”
“I’ll be there.”
He ran a finger over both names in the same square. Then he carried the calendar to his room.
A week later, the delivery company sent its record to Priya. Nia’s signature had been made on a handheld device at 4:18 in the afternoon. The disputed paper said she signed it at the owner’s office at 4:15.
I had never felt so grateful for three minutes.
Priya sent the record to Martin and asked for an explanation. Martin replied that he needed to speak to his client.
That evening, Denise came over with groceries. She told Nia she was sorry for pushing her to move in with her instead of listening when Nia said the children needed to stay near school.
“I wanted somewhere I could watch over you,” Denise said.
Nia put the groceries on the counter. “I know. I needed you to trust me to decide what was best.”
“I’m learning.”
They hugged. I was about to take Eli to his game and gave them the kitchen to themselves.
At the game, Eli looked into the stands after every inning. Nia arrived before the second. She sat beside me and cheered when he caught a ball that bounced off his glove.
He turned toward us, grinning.
For a little while, the check and the agreement felt far away.
After the game, Priya called. We stood beside the field while the children bought snacks with my mother.
“The bank found where the check was cashed,” Priya said. “The person who presented it showed identification in a different name. The bank is handling that part.”
Nia covered her mouth.
“Does Martin know?” I asked.
“He does. The owner says he had no idea. He’s offered to pay Nia the amount she should have received and correct the agreement.”
Nia leaned against the fence. “Will he put that in writing?”
“I’ve asked him to. I’ll review it before you sign anything.”
We watched Eli tear open a bag of crackers and share half with Ava. Nia’s eyes filled, but this time she was smiling.
Then Priya added, “There’s one more thing. Mr. Alvarez called me. He says he saw who took the envelope from the owner’s office to the old house.”
Nia straightened.
“Who was it?”
May you like
Priya paused. “A woman who introduced herself as Nia’s sister.”
“I don’t have a sister,” Nia said.
