No candle.
No singing.
Good.
They ate quietly.
At 9:40 the doorbell rang.
Maya froze.
Adrian looked surprised.
“I didn't invite anyone.”
He opened the door.
Renee stood outside.
Alone.
She carried no gift.
Maya almost appreciated that.
Renee looked toward her.
“May I come in?”
Adrian did not answer for Maya.
Good.
Maya stared.
“For how long?”
Renee swallowed.
“As long as you want.”
“Ten minutes.”
“Okay.”
She entered.
No hug.
Renee sat across from Maya at the kitchen island.
Adrian started to remain.
Maya looked at him.
“Can we talk alone?”
He nodded and went outside.
Renee folded her hands.
“Happy birthday.”
Maya did not respond.
Renee took a breath.
“I owe you several truths.”
Maya almost laughed.
“Everybody does.”
“Yes.”
Renee nodded.
“First, I knew this property belonged to your trust before I married your father.”
“I knew the disclosure age was sixteen.”
“I asked him more than once to consider waiting until eighteen.”
Maya stared.
“Why?”
“I told myself because sixteen was too young to understand property and money.”
“And really?”
Renee’s eyes filled.
“Because Simone was already comparing.”
Maya sat back.
“How old was I?”
“When we married?”
“Eight.”
“And she was?”
“Seventeen.”
“So a seventeen-year-old was jealous of an eight-year-old.”
“Yes.”
Renee did not soften it.
“She had lost her parents’ marriage.”
“Then I married a successful man.”
“We moved into a much larger house.”
“You had grandparents who were involved.”
“A father who was financially stable.”
“A trust I knew existed.”
“Simone had her father, but he was inconsistent with money and later became ill.”
Renee looked down.
“I became afraid that telling you about the house would make every difference visible.”
Maya stared.
“So you made sure only she knew eventually.”
“No.”
Renee closed her eyes.
“That was not the plan.”
“But it happened.”
“Yes.”
Maya looked toward the ocean.
“Did you hate my mother?”
Renee looked surprised.
“No.”
“Did you know her?”
“Barely.”
“We met twice before she became sick.”
“Then why did you act like her money was hurting your daughter?”
Renee took time.
“Because money can make grief look unfair.”
Maya frowned.
Renee continued.
“Simone's father died owing almost ninety thousand dollars.”
“The estate sold nearly everything.”
“Your mother died having planned carefully.”
“She left property.”
“Insurance.”
“Instructions.”
“Letters.”
“Your father kept her photographs.”
“Her recipes.”
“Her birthday traditions.”
“Simone looked at that and thought you had lost someone but kept everything.”
Maya’s voice sharpened.