Chapter 3
I wanted to run.
Not away from Dad.
Not away from the wedding.
Away from the terrible possibility forming inside my mind.
My mother had been afraid.
Diane had threatened her.
And three years later, I was supposed to welcome Diane into my family through Lauren's marriage to my father.
I stared at the envelope.
"Did Diane hurt Mama?"
Dad crouched in front of me.
"We don't know that."
I looked at him.
"But she threatened her."
"Yes."
My eyes filled.
"Then how can you marry her daughter?"
Lauren made a small sound behind us.
I immediately felt guilty.
She had never been cruel to me.
She helped with homework.
She came to my school performances.
She learned how to make Mama's favorite sweet potato pie because she knew I missed it.
I liked Lauren.
I had even asked Dad whether I could call her my stepmom after the wedding.
Now I didn't know what to feel.
Lauren knelt beside me.
"Ava, I didn't know."
Her voice was trembling.
"I swear I didn't know any of this."
I looked at her.
"Did you know your mother knew mine?"
Lauren shook her head.
"She told me they'd met at charity events. That's all."
Diane stood near the doorway.
Her face had become rigid.
"Lauren, don't let them turn you against me."
Lauren slowly stood.
"Mom, you lied to me."
"I protected you."
"From what?"
Diane looked toward Dad.
"From a scandal that would've ruined our family."
My father closed his eyes.
There it was again.
Family.
Diane used that word as though it excused everything.
I stared at her.
"My mama was family too."
Diane looked away.
Lauren turned toward me.
"Of course she was."
I shook my head.
"Not to your mom."
Nobody spoke.
Then Dad carefully opened the envelope.
Inside was a letter.
Several printed emails.
And a small flash drive.
My heart pounded.
He unfolded the letter.
"Would you like me to read it?" he asked.
I nodded.
He began.
"My darling Ava,
If you're reading this someday, I hope you know that every good thing I've ever done began with wanting you to have a better world."
My eyes immediately filled.
That sounded like Mama.
She always said kindness wasn't a feeling.
It was something you did.
Dad continued.
"I've been working on something difficult. Some people are angry because I've asked questions they don't want answered."
Diane stared at the floor.
"I don't want you to be afraid of the truth, sweetheart. But I also don't want you to believe that every frightening thing means the world is unsafe."
Dad's voice broke.
He stopped.
I reached for the paper.
"Can I?"
He handed it to me.
My hands shook as I read the next lines.
"If anyone ever tells you to forget me to make them comfortable, remember this: love is not a chair someone can take away."
I began crying.
The words felt impossible.
Mama had written them years before Diane touched her place card.
And yet they sounded as though she were speaking directly to that afternoon.
I pressed the letter against my chest.
Diane looked toward the window.
Lauren was crying silently.
Dad placed his arm around me.
Then I noticed another sentence.
"Give the blue folder to Mr. Collins if anything happens before the review is complete."
I looked up.
"Who's Mr. Collins?"
Dad frowned.
"A lawyer your mother worked with."
He reached for the flash drive.
Diane moved forward.
"No."
Dad looked at her.
"Why?"
"Because you don't understand what's on there."
Lauren stared.
"Mom, how would you know?"
Diane stopped.
I felt a terrible chill.
She knew about the letter.
She knew about the documents.
And now she knew about the flash drive.
My father placed it beside the envelope.
"I'm not opening anything until we speak with the attorney."
Diane laughed bitterly.
"Smart decision."
Lauren looked at her mother.
"You're not relieved because you care about Ava."
Diane's expression hardened.
"Lauren."
"You're relieved because you want more time."
For a moment, Diane looked furious enough to strike her.
Then she turned away.
My father reached for his phone.
"I'm calling Mr. Collins."
Diane suddenly grabbed her handbag.
"Then I'm leaving."
Lauren moved toward the door.
"Mom, don't."
Diane stopped.
Her eyes were wet.
"I gave you everything."
Lauren shook her head.
"I never asked you to destroy another family for me."
Diane looked wounded.
Then her face became cold.
"You have no idea what Naomi was doing."
I stared at her.
"What does that mean?"
She didn't answer.
Dad stepped closer.
"Diane."
She turned toward him.
"Your precious Naomi wasn't as innocent as you think."
My stomach twisted.
Lauren whispered, "Stop."
But Diane continued.
"She found things she wasn't supposed to find."
My father stared.
"What things?"
Diane looked directly at him.
May you like
Then said the words that made the entire room fall silent.
"Ask your late wife why she was investigating your company too."
