Chapter 7 - The Man Behind the Missing Money
I had never heard of Richard Lawson.
But I remembered seeing a man outside our house.
He drove a shiny black car.
Sometimes he came when Dad was away.
Tasha always told me he was helping with repairs.
Once, I asked why he never carried tools.
She told me to mind my business.
Now I wondered whether that man was Richard.
***
Dad spent most of the morning speaking with Monica and Detective Brooks.
The investigators were tracing the transfers and reviewing Richard's connection to the attempted property purchase.
I sat in the living room, pretending to read.
But I was listening.
Grandma noticed.
She came over and sat beside me.
"Isaiah, sweetheart, do you want to go outside?"
I shook my head.
"Is Daddy going to be okay?"
She smiled sadly.
"He's having a hard time. But he'll be okay."
I looked toward the hallway.
"Was Tasha trying to leave us?"
Grandma hesitated.
Then she answered carefully.
"It looks like she was making plans your father didn't know about."
I stared at my shoes.
"Maybe she never wanted me."
Grandma pulled me close.
"Oh, baby."
I kept talking.
"She said I ruined everything."
Grandma's arms tightened.
"She was wrong."
I swallowed.
"She said Daddy would be happier if I wasn't there."
Grandma drew back.
Her face was wet with tears.
"Isaiah, look at me."
I did.
"You are not a problem anyone has to solve."
I started crying.
"You are a child who deserves love."
She pressed her forehead against mine.
"And I will remind you of that for as long as I live."
***
That afternoon, Dad asked me to come sit with him.
He looked nervous.
I sat beside him on the couch.
"Isaiah, I need to tell you something."
I swallowed.
"Okay."
He took a breath.
"Tasha and I are going to separate."
I stared at him.
"Forever?"
"I don't know exactly what everything will look like yet. But we won't be living together."
I nodded slowly.
"Is it because of me?"
His face crumpled.
"No."
He pulled me into his arms.
"Listen to me, son. Adults are responsible for their own choices."
I pressed my face against his shirt.
He continued.
"Tasha made decisions that hurt you. And I failed to protect you from them."
I whispered:
"Are you leaving too?"
He held me tighter.
"No."
"Promise?"
"I promise."
I wanted to believe him.
Then he said:
"And this time, I'm going to show you."
***
Over the next few weeks, Dad changed his work schedule.
He asked for a local assignment.
It meant earning less money.
But he told Grandma he didn't care.
"I've missed too much," he said.
He started making breakfast.
Checking my homework.
Taking me to school.
And sitting beside me at bedtime.
Sometimes he didn't know what he was doing.
He burned pancakes.
Forgot where my school forms went.
And once packed a peanut butter sandwich even though he knew I hated peanut butter.
But he tried.
Every day.
And slowly, I stopped waiting for him to disappear again.
***
One Friday afternoon, Jordan came to visit.
Marcus brought him and Ava to Grandma's house.
I ran to the door.
"Jordan!"
He grinned.
"Hey!"
Ava rushed past him and hugged me.
"I missed you!"
I hugged her back.
"I missed you too."
We played in the backyard while the grown-ups talked.
Jordan seemed quieter than usual.
Finally, he sat beside me on the porch steps.
"Isaiah?"
"Yeah?"
"Are you mad at me?"
I frowned.
"Why?"
He looked down.
"Because Mom bought me things with your money."
I stared at him.
Jordan's eyes filled.
"I didn't know."
I swallowed.
"I know."
He rubbed his face.
"I should've noticed you didn't have anything."
For a moment, I remembered him laughing at my broken shoes.
But I also remembered him telling Grandma about the box.
And calling me when Tasha tried to take them away.
I moved closer.
"You're still my brother."
He looked up.
"Really?"
I nodded.
He hugged me so suddenly that we nearly fell off the steps.
We started laughing.
Ava ran over.
"Group hug!"
She threw herself against us.
For a few minutes, everything felt normal.
***
Later, Marcus spoke with Dad on the porch.
I wasn't trying to listen.
But I heard my name.
Marcus sounded serious.
"Jordan told me Tasha treated Isaiah differently."
Dad nodded.
"I know."
"He says he saw things he didn't understand at the time."
Dad looked toward the yard.
"What things?"
Marcus hesitated.
"Food being withheld as punishment. Isaiah being blamed whenever the kids argued."
My stomach tightened.
I remembered those evenings.
Sitting alone in the kitchen.
Listening to Jordan and Ava eat dinner.
Sometimes Tasha gave me plain bread and told me I'd earned it.
Dad covered his face.
Marcus continued.
"Jordan feels guilty."
Dad shook his head.
"He's a child."
"Exactly."
For the first time, I realized something.
Jordan hadn't just watched what happened.
He had been living with Tasha's rules too.
Maybe he was scared of her in a different way.
***
The following Monday, Detective Brooks visited Dad.
She brought new information about Richard Lawson.
He had been working with Tasha on a real estate purchase.
Financial records showed that money from my trust had been transferred through several accounts before reaching one connected to Richard.
Investigators were examining whether he knew the funds had been taken improperly.
Dad asked if the money could be recovered.
Detective Brooks answered honestly.
"Some assets have been frozen. The final amount recovered will depend on the investigation and court proceedings."
Dad nodded.
Then he asked:
"What about Tasha?"
The detective looked at her notes.
"Prosecutors are reviewing charges related to the account withdrawals and identity misuse."
I watched Dad's face.
He didn't look happy.
He looked tired.
Then he asked something that surprised me.
"What happens to Jordan and Ava?"
Detective Brooks explained that their welfare was being addressed separately with Marcus and the appropriate family services.
Dad nodded.
"Good."
I looked at him.
He had every reason to be angry.
But he was still worried about children who hadn't done anything wrong.
That made me love him even more.
***
That night, Dad sat beside my bed.
We listened to Mom's music box.
The melody filled the room softly.
I leaned against his shoulder.
"Daddy?"
"Yeah, buddy?"
"Did Mommy know I would miss her?"
His eyes filled.
"I think she knew how much you loved her."
I looked at the photograph.
"Do you think she'd be proud of me?"
Dad kissed my forehead.
"More proud than you can imagine."
I smiled.
Then I asked:
"Do you think she'd be proud of you?"
Dad went silent.
For a long moment, he didn't answer.
Then he whispered:
"I hope I can become the father she believed I'd be."
I held his hand.
"You already came back."
He started crying.
May you like
And for the first time, I wasn't afraid of seeing him cry.
Because I knew he wasn't leaving.
