Amara thought the call had dropped.
“Grandma?”
“I’m here.”
Evelyn’s voice sounded different.
Low.
Controlled.
“Put your mother on the phone.”
Nicole shook her head.
Amara stared.
Evelyn heard the silence.
“Amara.”
“Yes?”
“Is your mother there?”
“Yes.”
“Speaker.”
Amara hesitated.
Then tapped the screen.
Evelyn’s voice filled the foyer.
“Nicole.”
Nicole wiped her face.
“Evelyn.”
“Tell me I misunderstood.”
Grant looked between them.
Nicole said nothing.
Evelyn continued:
“Tell me Amara is going to Colorado.”
Nicole’s voice was barely audible.
“No.”
Grant frowned.
“Why does she think—”
Evelyn interrupted.
“Grant, I assume that's you.”
He looked toward the phone.
“Yes.”
“Do you know how this trip was paid for?”
The question changed his face.
He turned toward Nicole.
“What?”
Nicole whispered:
“Evelyn.”
The older woman continued.
“Do you?”
Grant stared at his wife.
“No.”
Amara looked at her mother.
Evelyn said:
“Nicole requested eighteen thousand six hundred forty dollars from the Daniel Lewis Family Enrichment Trust six weeks ago.”
No one moved.
Grant’s face emptied.
Tyler looked toward Amara.
Amara forgot to cry.
“What trust?”
she whispered.
Evelyn heard.
Another silence.
Then:
“Sweetheart.”
Amara stared at her mother.
“You used Dad’s money?”
Nicole’s eyes filled.
“It’s not that simple.”
Grant turned.
“Daniel's trust paid for Colorado?”
Nicole looked at him.
“I was going to explain.”
His face darkened.
“When?”
Evelyn said sharply:
“Before anybody explains anything, I need a yes or no.”
Nicole closed her eyes.
“Was the Colorado reservation paid with money from Amara’s trust?”
“Yes.”
Grant took one step backward.
Tyler stared.
Evelyn continued:
“Did the reimbursement request state ‘beneficiary travel and educational enrichment’?”
Nicole whispered:
“Yes.”
“Is the beneficiary traveling?”
No answer.
“Nicole.”
“No.”
Evelyn inhaled.
“Then nobody gets on a plane.”
Grant’s head snapped toward the phone.
“You can't—”
“Yes, I can.”
Evelyn’s voice remained calm.
“I am the trust protector.”
“The bank has already been notified that the annual accounting is under review.”
“If Amara is not participating in the travel for which that distribution was approved, the distribution is improper.”
Grant stared at Nicole.
“You told me that money came from your old investment account.”
Nicole started crying.
“I said I had money set aside.”
“No.”
Grant shook his head.
“You said your money.”
“I didn't say those exact words.”
“That is what you meant me to believe.”
Tyler whispered:
“Dad.”
Nobody heard.
Amara looked at the phone.
“How much did Dad leave?”
Nicole turned.
“Amara, not now.”
Her daughter stared.
“It's my trust.”
Evelyn answered.
“Originally, four hundred twelve thousand dollars.”
Amara felt dizzy.