Chapter 2
Denise stared at me for several seconds before she finally found her voice.
"You can't seriously mean that."
I looked at her.
"Which part?"
Her eyes widened.
"Throwing my children out of their home!"
I leaned back.
"Interesting."
She frowned.
"What?"
"That's exactly what you told Maya to do."
Denise opened her mouth.
Nothing came out.
Behind me, Maya stood with her suitcase.
Her face was pale.
I turned toward her.
"Sweetheart, leave that bag right there."
She hesitated.
"Dad..."
"You're not going anywhere tonight."
Her eyes filled with tears.
Then she nodded.
Denise pushed her plate away.
"Marcus, we need to discuss this privately."
I looked at her.
"You didn't discuss Maya's eviction with me privately."
Her cheeks reddened.
"That's because I knew you'd overreact."
I felt my anger rising again.
But I forced myself to remain calm.
"No, Denise. You knew I'd say no."
She looked away.
For a moment, the room was silent.
Then footsteps came from the hallway.
Jordan entered wearing basketball shorts and an expensive designer sweatshirt.
He glanced between us.
"What's going on?"
Denise immediately turned toward him.
"Your stepfather is threatening to throw you and Brianna out."
Jordan stared at me.
"What?"
I looked at him.
"Your mother told Maya she had to leave because she's twenty-two."
He shrugged.
"So?"
I stared at him.
"So I'm asking why that rule doesn't apply to you."
Jordan laughed.
"Because I live here."
I felt something cold settle in my chest.
"Maya lives here too."
He rolled his eyes.
"Yeah, but she's always doing her own thing."
I frowned.
"What does that mean?"
He gestured vaguely.
"Working. Going to school. Whatever."
I stared.
"You're criticizing her for working and going to school?"
Jordan looked uncomfortable.
Then he turned toward Denise.
"Mom, can you handle this?"
Denise stood.
"Marcus, stop embarrassing everyone."
I looked at her.
"The only person who has been embarrassed today is my daughter."
Maya lowered her eyes.
I immediately regretted making her stand through the argument.
I turned toward her.
"Go upstairs, sweetheart."
She shook her head.
"No."
I studied her.
She took a breath.
"I want to hear this."
I nodded slowly.
"Okay."
Then Brianna appeared.
She wore pink lounge clothes and carried a shopping bag.
"What is everyone yelling about?"
Jordan looked at her.
"Marcus says we have to move out."
Brianna's mouth fell open.
"Excuse me?"
Denise pointed toward me.
"He's trying to punish us because Maya refuses to grow up."
My daughter's face crumpled.
I stood immediately.
"Stop."
Denise went silent.
I looked at Jordan and Brianna.
"Nobody is being thrown out tonight."
They seemed relieved.
Then I continued.
"But we're going to have an honest conversation about how this household works."
Jordan folded his arms.
"Whatever."
I pointed toward the dining table.
"Sit down."
To my surprise, both obeyed.
Maya remained standing beside me.
I gently pulled out a chair for her.
She sat.
I looked around the table.
"For years, I've helped everyone in this house."
Denise sighed.
"Here we go."
I ignored her.
"I've paid household expenses, car insurance, school fees, and more than a few emergency bills."
Jordan stared at his phone.
I looked at him.
"Jordan, do you remember what happened when you lost your job?"
He shrugged.
"Yeah."
"I covered your car payments for six months."
He looked away.
I turned toward Brianna.
"When your tuition bill came due, who paid it?"
She hesitated.
"You did."
I nodded.
"And when you needed help after leaving your last job?"
She lowered her eyes.
"You helped me."
I looked toward Maya.
"Now tell me what Maya has asked for."
Nobody answered.
I continued.
"She pays for her own transportation. She's saving for nursing school. She contributes toward groceries."
Denise scoffed.
"She doesn't pay enough."
I turned.
"How much is enough?"
Denise hesitated.
I waited.
Then Maya quietly spoke.
"I give Denise five hundred dollars every month."
The room went silent.
I slowly turned toward her.
"What?"
She looked frightened.
"I thought you knew."
My heart began pounding.
"Five hundred dollars?"
She nodded.
"Since last September."
I stared at Denise.
She looked away.
I turned back toward Maya.
"Why?"
My daughter swallowed.
"Denise said if I wanted to stay here, I needed to help more."
I looked at her.
"Did she give you receipts?"
Maya shook her head.
"She told me not to make it a big deal."
I felt my chest tighten.
I paid every major household bill.
Mortgage.
Utilities.
Insurance.
Repairs.
I had never asked Maya to pay rent.
I wanted her to save for nursing school.
And now I was learning she had been quietly handing Denise money behind my back.
I turned toward my wife.
"Where did that money go?"
Denise frowned.
"Household expenses."
I shook my head.
"Which ones?"
She looked irritated.
"Marcus, I'm not going to account for every dollar."
I stared at her.
"Then we're going to have a problem."
Jordan suddenly stood.
"This is ridiculous."
I looked at him.
"Sit down."
He laughed.
"I'm not a kid."
"Then stop expecting to be treated like one."
His expression hardened.
For a moment, I thought he might argue.
Instead, he dropped back into his chair.
I turned toward Denise.
"Starting today, nobody in this house collects money from Maya without my knowledge."
She crossed her arms.
"You're making me sound like a thief."
I held her gaze.
"I asked where the money went."
She didn't answer.
Then Maya reached into her hoodie pocket.
She pulled out her phone.
"Dad, there's something else."
My stomach tightened.
"What?"
She unlocked the screen.
Then handed it to me.
A message from Denise appeared.
IF YOU TELL YOUR FATHER ABOUT THE RENT, DON'T EXPECT ME TO HELP YOU WHEN HE FINDS OUT WHAT HAPPENED TO YOUR MOTHER'S JEWELRY.
I stared at the words.
My heart began pounding.
Angela's jewelry.
My late wife's wedding ring.
Her gold necklace.
The bracelet her mother had given her.
I had kept those things in a locked wooden box for Maya.
They were supposed to become hers when she finished college.
I slowly looked toward Denise.
"What happened to Angela's jewelry?"
May you like
Her face went completely pale.
And for the first time that afternoon, I understood that the argument about Maya moving out had been hiding something much bigger.
