Chapter 14 - Gloria’s Investment
Gloria Hill arrived Sunday afternoon carrying sweet potato pie.
She was sixty-one, immaculately dressed, warm with her grandchildren and extremely skilled at making control sound like concern.
Nia had always liked her.
That made the conversation harder.
Ava ran to hug her grandmother.
Gloria kissed all three children, complimented Caleb’s haircut and handed Micah a toy truck.
Then she entered the kitchen.
Marcus stood near the sink.
Nia sat at the table.
Yolanda occupied the chair beside her.
Gloria looked at Yolanda.
“So this is a committee now?”
Yolanda smiled without warmth.
“No. I’m here because Nia asked me.”
Gloria placed the pie down.
“I would have preferred family business stay within the family.”
Yolanda’s eyes narrowed.
“Nia is family.”
Gloria looked at Marcus.
“That isn’t what I meant.”
Nia almost laughed.
The entire problem in six words.
She gestured toward the chair.
“Please sit.”
Gloria sat.
Nia had printed the payment records.
“Marcus told me you loaned Hill Performance fifty thousand dollars.”
Gloria’s expression remained composed.
“I did.”
“When?”
“Before the second location.”
“Did you know he was using home equity to repay part of it?”
Gloria looked at Marcus.
“He made a responsible financing decision.”
“That’s not what I asked.”
“Yes.”
Nia nodded.
“Did you know thirty-six thousand of my savings funded the original down payment?”
Gloria paused.
“I knew you contributed.”
“How much?”
“I don’t remember.”
“I think you do.”
Marcus shifted.
“Nia.”
“No.”
Gloria folded her hands.
“Thirty-six thousand.”
Yolanda gave a quiet, disbelieving laugh.
Nia continued.
“So you knew.”
“Yes.”
“You knew I wasn’t on the deed.”
“Yes.”
“You knew Marcus borrowed against the property.”
“Yes.”
“And you never thought I should know?”
Gloria’s expression tightened.
“My financial relationship with my son is not something I am obligated to discuss with you.”
Nia felt the words like a slap.
Marcus spoke.
“Mom.”
“What?”
“You’re not helping.”
Gloria looked at Nia.
“I’m not trying to hurt you.”
“You’re doing an impressive imitation.”
“Nia.”
Marcus’s warning tone appeared.
Yolanda looked at him.
“Don’t.”
Marcus stopped.
Gloria sighed.
“My son was trying to build something.”
“So was I.”
“Nobody said you weren’t.”
“You treated the house I helped buy like his private bank.”
“It was legally his asset.”
Silence.
Nia stared at her.
Gloria realized too late what she had admitted.
Yolanda leaned forward.
“There it is.”
Gloria’s chin lifted.
“I am talking about financing.”
“No,” Nia said softly. “You’re talking about exactly how you saw me.”
“That’s unfair.”
“Temporary enough not to consult.”
“Nia, you and Marcus were not married.”
Nia’s eyes filled.
“That was his choice.”
Gloria looked away.
For the first time, some certainty left her face.
Nia continued.
“You encouraged him not to marry me until his business was protected.”
Gloria did not deny it.
“Why?”
“I watched my own marriage end badly.”
“So you taught him that commitment makes women dangerous.”
“I taught him not to be financially naive.”
“Was I naive?”
Gloria looked at the papers.
The question landed.
Yolanda said nothing.
Marcus stared at his mother.
Gloria finally answered.
“Yes.”
Nia went still.
Gloria’s voice softened.
“You were naive to put that much money into a property without your name on it.”
Marcus stood abruptly.
“Mom.”
But Nia raised her hand.
“No.”
She looked at Gloria.
“You’re right.”
Gloria blinked.
Nia wiped one tear.
“I was.”
She glanced at Marcus.
“I was naive because I thought trust was the same thing as protection.”
Marcus looked devastated.
Gloria’s expression shifted.
Perhaps she had expected a fight.
Nia’s acceptance made her words uglier.
Gloria said quietly, “I didn’t mean you deserved this.”
“But you benefited from it.”
No answer.
Marcus walked to the window.
For once, he looked angry at someone other than Nia.
“You should’ve told me not to take that money.”
Gloria stared at him.
“You are thirty-two years old.”
“You knew it was her money too.”
“I knew the house was yours.”
Marcus turned.
“That sentence is the problem.”
Gloria looked shocked.
Marcus’s voice broke.
“I kept telling myself I wasn’t doing anything wrong because technically I could.”
Nia stared at him.
It was the clearest thing he had said.
Gloria stood.
“I will not be blamed for decisions you made.”
“You shouldn’t be.”
Marcus nodded.
“But you made them easier.”
Gloria picked up her purse.
Before leaving, she looked at Nia.
“I am sorry.”
Nia believed she meant it.
That did not make forgiveness automatic.
After Gloria left, Marcus remained standing by the window.
Yolanda went to check on the children.
Nia and Marcus were alone.
He spoke without turning.
“I think I owe you more than putting your name on the deed.”
Nia waited.
Marcus faced her.
“I think we need to sell the second location.”
She stared.
“That’s your dream.”
“No.”
He looked toward the family photographs.
“My dream was supposed to be all of this.”
His eyes returned to Nia.
“I turned the business into proof that I was safe.”
A tear slid down his face.
“And I made you unsafe to do it.”
Nia said nothing.
Then Marcus’s phone rang.
He looked at the screen.
His attorney.
He answered.
After less than a minute, his face went pale.
“What?”
Nia stood.
Marcus ended the call.
“The prenup lawyer reviewed the refinance file.”
“And?”
He swallowed.
“There’s a document I signed at closing.”
“What document?”
“A statement saying none of the funds used for the original purchase came from anyone expecting ownership.”
Nia stared.
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Marcus whispered:
“I signed something saying your thirty-six thousand was a gift.”
