The reimbursement request described it as Amara's winter educational travel.
She was being excluded from it.
Martin looked at Nicole.
“That's very difficult to defend.”
She cried.
“I know.”
“No.”
He remained calm.
“You know now.”
“That’s different.”
Grant sat across the table.
“What happens?”
Martin answered:
“First, nobody travels today using those funds.”
“Second, full accounting.”
“Third, the bank will suspend discretionary reimbursements until review.”
“Fourth, Evelyn decides whether to exercise removal authority.”
Nicole stared at Evelyn.
“You're removing me?”
Evelyn looked tired.
“I don't know yet.”
Nicole laughed bitterly.
“You've wanted this since Daniel died.”
“No.”
“You never trusted me.”
“I trusted Daniel.”
“That isn't the same.”
Evelyn’s face tightened.
“He trusted you enough to make you trustee.”
Nicole stopped.
Evelyn continued:
“I argued against it.”
There.
Nicole stared.
“Daniel refused.”
“Why?”
“He said if he died, he did not want you asking his mother for permission every time Amara needed something.”
Nicole’s eyes filled.
Evelyn looked toward the staircase.
“My son protected your dignity.”
Her voice cracked.
“Please do not use that trust to injure his daughter.”
Nicole covered her face.
Grant looked away.
Martin quietly closed the laptop for a moment.
Legal meetings sometimes needed to remember humans were inside them.
Tyler sat in the living room pretending to watch television.
He could hear enough.
At one point he went upstairs.
He knocked on Amara’s door.
She opened it.
Tyler had removed his winter coat.
He looked younger in his green T-shirt.
“Can I come in?”
She stepped aside.
He looked at the suitcase.
“Still packed.”
“Yes.”
“You want to throw it at my dad?”
Amara almost laughed.
“Maybe.”
“I’ll help.”
She smiled despite herself.
Tyler sat on the floor.
For a minute neither spoke.
Then he said:
“My mom forgot me again.”
Amara looked over.
“I know.”
“You do?”
“I heard Grant talking to Mom.”
Tyler nodded.
“She does that.”
Amara did not know what to say.
Melissa Bennett lived three hours away.
Sometimes she was attentive.
Sometimes absent.
Tyler never knew which version he would get.
He continued:
“Dad thinks I care that everybody talks about your dad.”
“Do you?”
“Sometimes.”
Amara looked down.
Tyler immediately said:
“Not because of you.”
She waited.
“Everybody acts like Mr. Lewis was perfect.”
“I know he wasn't.”
“Grandma Evelyn doesn't.”
“She kind of does.”
Amara smiled faintly.
“Grandmas are allowed.”
Tyler shrugged.
“It just feels like he left all this stuff.”
“Money.”
“Pictures.”
“Traditions.”
“And my mom leaves nothing.”
Amara looked at him.
“That sucks.”
“Yeah.”
“But I didn't want you to stay home.”
“I know.”
Tyler touched the suitcase handle.
“When Dad told me you wanted to stay with Grandma, I thought it was weird.”
“Why didn't you ask?”
“I did.”
“What did he say?”
“That you were emotional about traveling without your dad.”
Amara stared.
“What?”
Tyler looked horrified.