Chapter 7 - Michael’s Debt
Michael did not deny the email.
That was the first thing Sarah would remember later.
He did not say she had misunderstood.
He did not accuse Trevor of fabricating anything.
Instead he sat down.
“Let me explain.”
Sarah remained standing.
“Explain why you promised someone money from my divorce settlement.”
“It isn’t like that.”
“Then what is it like?”
Michael rubbed both hands over his face.
“The company got into trouble.”
“You told me Trevor was trying to steal it from you.”
“He is.”
“You owe him money.”
“It’s complicated.”
“How much?”
Michael looked toward the dark window.
“Michael.”
“About one eighty.”
Sarah felt cold.
“One hundred eighty thousand dollars?”
“It wasn’t supposed to become personal debt.”
“What happened to two eighty-four?”
His head snapped around.
Sarah saw it.
She had not known the larger number until that moment.
David had sent her the lawsuit, but she had avoided reading every allegation.
Now she did not need to.
Michael had reacted.
“What happened to two hundred eighty-four thousand dollars?”
“Trevor inflated the claim.”
“Did you take company money?”
“I borrowed against distributions that should have been mine.”
“Without telling him?”
Michael stood.
“Sarah, the company would not exist without me.”
“That isn’t an answer.”
“I was dealing with debt.”
“What debt?”
He hesitated.
Another hesitation.
Just like the one after Ethan’s question.
Sarah suddenly hated pauses.
“Michael.”
“Investments went bad.”
“What investments?”
“Real estate.”
“Where?”
“Charlotte.”
“Is that why you wanted us to move?”
“No.”
“Then why Charlotte?”
“Because I have contacts there.”
“Did you come back because of me?”
“Yes.”
“Did you come back because of Ethan?”
“Yes.”
“Did you come back because I own half a house with four hundred thousand dollars in equity?”
Michael’s mouth opened.
Nothing emerged quickly enough.
Sarah stepped backward.
He moved toward her.
“Don’t.”
He stopped.
“You think I planned some scam?”
“I think you told Trevor I would have the house by November.”
“I assumed the divorce settlement would—”
“You assumed?”
“You told me David didn’t want to fight you over the house.”
“That did not mean the equity was yours.”
“I know.”
“Do you?”
Michael’s voice sharpened.
“I’m trying to fix my life.”
Sarah laughed once.
The sound terrified her because it reminded her of David on the night of the divorce papers.
“So that’s what I am?”
“No.”
“A repair?”
“Stop twisting this.”
“I divorced the man who raised my child because you told me you came back with nothing to ask from me.”
“I love you.”
Sarah’s eyes filled.
“Do you?”
“Yes.”
“Then why didn’t you tell me?”
“Because I knew you’d react exactly like this.”
She stared.
Michael realized too late what he had said.
“Like what?”
“Scared.”
“No.”
Sarah shook her head.
“Like someone who learned the truth.”
Upstairs, neither of them knew Ethan stood in the hallway.
He heard only pieces.
house
money
David
lawsuit
He returned to his room before they saw him.
The next morning Sarah called in sick from work.
Michael left early after promising they would talk later.
She sat at the kitchen island until almost noon.
Then she called David.
He answered after two rings.
“What happened?”
She hated that he knew immediately.
“How did you know something happened?”
“Because you called me instead of texting.”
Sarah closed her eyes.
“Michael has debt.”
“I know about the lawsuit.”
“He planned to use money from the house.”
David was silent.
“Say something.”
“What do you want me to say?”
“I don’t know.”
“Did you know before last night?”
“No.”
“Okay.”
“That’s it?”
“What would help?”
Sarah began crying.
“I destroyed everything.”
David looked around his apartment.
Part of him wanted to agree.
Instead he asked, “Where’s Ethan?”
“At school.”
“Does he know?”
“No.”
“Good.”
“You’re not angry?”
“I’m furious.”
“You don’t sound furious.”
“I’ve had a week to practice.”
Sarah covered her face.
“What do I do?”
David’s answer was quiet.
“You decide what you believe now that believing him costs something.”
Sarah said nothing.
Before they hung up, David added:
“Whatever happens with Michael, don’t use Ethan to punish him.”
Sarah stared at the family photographs across the room.
One empty space remained where Michael had removed Yellowstone.
After the call, she found the photograph inside a drawer.
She put it back on the wall.
At three fifteen Ethan came home.
He noticed immediately.
He looked at Sarah.
“Why did you put Dad back?”
The question tore through her.
Because in Ethan’s mind, David had never merely been in a photograph.
He had been the structure around the picture.
Sarah crouched.
“I never should have let anyone take him down.”
Ethan studied her.
Then he asked:
“Are you still making him leave?”
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Sarah could not answer.
And for the first time, Ethan understood that his mother no longer knew what she was doing.
