Chapter 4: The Signature That Wasn't His
“That isn't my signature.””
Dean's voice was barely audible.
Brenda stood beside the dining table, one hand resting on the document she had just placed there. Claire remained opposite her, the folder open between them. Avery stood near the doorway, staring at the signature.
It looked like her father's handwriting.
The same capital D. The same long curve beneath the last name.
But Dean was shaking his head.
“Where did you get that?”” he asked.
Brenda pulled the document closer.
“It's a standard banking authorization form.””
“That's not what I asked.””
“Dean, please don't turn this into something it isn't.””
Claire took the paper before Brenda could move it.
“Who prepared this?””
Brenda crossed her arms.
“An attorney.””
“Which attorney?””
“I don't remember his name.””
Claire looked up.
“You don't remember the name of the attorney who supposedly prepared a legal document transferring control of a child's inheritance?””
Brenda's cheeks reddened.
“I was trying to help.””
Dean let out a bitter laugh.
“By signing my name?””
“I didn't sign anything.””
“Then why are you carrying this?””
“Because I was going to show it to you!””
Avery stepped closer.
“Why does it say I agreed to it?””
Nobody moved.
She pointed to a paragraph near the bottom.
It stated that Avery, through her legal guardian, had requested the transfer of certain account privileges to Brenda Wilson for the purpose of managing future educational expenses.
Avery read it twice.
“I never asked for this.””
Brenda turned toward her.
“You were too young to understand the arrangements.””
“I'm thirteen. I remember what I agree to.””
“Don't speak to me like that.””
“Then stop putting my name on things I didn't sign.””
Brenda's mouth tightened.
Logan appeared in the doorway.
He had apparently followed his mother inside but had stayed in the hallway.
“What's going on?””
Brenda immediately looked relieved.
“Logan, come here.””
He entered the room.
Claire placed the document on the table.
“Do you recognize this?””
Logan glanced at it.
His eyes moved quickly across the page.
“No.””
Brenda interrupted.
“There's nothing for you to recognize. This is between adults.””
Claire closed the folder halfway.
“Then perhaps you should have kept a child's inheritance out of it.””
Brenda slammed her palm against the table.
“Enough! Dean knows exactly what happened. He gave me that money because he wanted to help this family.””
Dean looked at her.
“I transferred two thousand dollars because you said you were behind on rent. I never authorized six thousand dollars.””
Brenda's expression changed.
“That money was reimbursement.””
“For what?””
“For everything I've done!””
Dean stared at her.
“You want reimbursement for helping raise Avery?””
Brenda looked away.
Avery felt something cold settle in her chest.
She remembered the small things Brenda had done over the years.
Driving her to school when Dean worked early shifts.
Making dinner when Dean was exhausted.
Buying her birthday cake.
But she also remembered Brenda reminding everyone how much she had sacrificed.
Every favor seemed to become a debt.
Claire picked up the bank statement.
“Let's establish the facts. The first transfer was two thousand dollars, eleven months ago. Dean says he approved that one.””
Brenda nodded quickly.
“Exactly.””
“The second transfer was six thousand dollars, three weeks ago.””
“Also approved.””
Dean shook his head.
“No.””
Brenda turned sharply.
“You told me to handle the account!””
“I told you to help me organize the household bills.””
“You gave me access!””
“To household expenses. Not Avery's inheritance.””
Claire placed the statement beside the authorization form.
“Then we need the bank's records.””
Brenda laughed nervously.
“You can't just walk into a bank and accuse someone.””
“I don't need to accuse anyone. I need to report an unauthorized transaction.””
At that, Brenda's expression hardened.
“Claire, be careful. You're making this sound criminal.””
Claire didn't blink.
“If the documents are genuine, the bank can verify that. If they're not, it can verify that too.””
Logan stepped closer to his mother.
“Mom, maybe we should leave.””
Brenda turned on him.
“Don't you start.””
“I'm just saying we don't need to stand here arguing.””
“You have no idea what I've done for this family.””
Logan lowered his eyes.
Avery watched him.
Something about his reaction seemed strange.
He wasn't looking at the document anymore.
He was looking at the shopping bag Brenda had placed near the chair.
The bag was partly open.
Inside was a large white envelope.
Avery recognized the logo printed on it.
It belonged to the private school Logan had been hoping to attend.
She looked at the envelope.
Then at the bank statement.
“Mom?””
Logan's voice was quiet.
Brenda immediately grabbed the bag.
“What?””
“Why is my school envelope here?””
Brenda froze.
Logan stepped forward and pulled it from the bag.
He opened it.
Inside was a tuition payment receipt.
His expression changed as he read it.
“Mom...””
Brenda reached for the paper.
“Give that to me.””
“Why does this say six thousand dollars?””
Nobody spoke.
Logan looked at his mother.
“Is this my enrollment payment?””
Brenda grabbed his wrist.
“Logan, not now.””
He pulled away.
“Did you pay my school fees with Avery's money?””
Brenda's lips parted.
For a moment, she seemed unable to find an answer.
Then she turned toward Dean.
“He was going to lose his place! The deadline was approaching. I had to do something.””
Dean stared at her.
“You used Avery's inheritance to pay for Logan's school?””
“I was going to replace it!””
“When?””
“Soon!””
Claire stood.
“That's not your decision to make.””
Brenda pointed at her.
“You weren't here when this family was falling apart!””
Claire's voice remained steady.
“I was here when Rachel made me promise to protect her daughter's future.””
Brenda looked at Avery.
Then she looked at Logan.
The room seemed to shrink around her.
Logan slowly lowered the tuition receipt.
“Mom, you told me the scholarship had covered everything.””
Brenda reached for his shoulder.
“I was trying to give you an opportunity.””
“But you told me it was a scholarship.””
“I didn't want you worrying about money!””
Logan looked at Avery.
For the first time that evening, he seemed ashamed.
Avery didn't know what to say.
She had spent months saving seventy-five dollars for her father's birthday.
Meanwhile, six thousand dollars from her mother's account had paid for someone else's education.
Claire gathered the documents.
“We're going to the bank tomorrow.””
Brenda shook her head.
“You can't do that.””
“Watch me.””
Dean looked at Avery.
“Sweetheart, go upstairs for a moment.””
She didn't move.
“Why?””
“Because this isn't something you should have to hear.””
Avery looked at the tuition receipt in Logan's hand.
“It's my money. I think I should hear.””
Dean lowered his head.
He had no argument.
Then Brenda spoke again.
“Fine. You want the truth? Ask Dean why he never told you about the account in the first place.””
Dean looked up sharply.
“Brenda.””
She smiled without warmth.
“Tell her, Dean. Tell her why you were so desperate to keep me happy.””
Claire turned toward him.
“What is she talking about?””
Brenda leaned forward.
May you like
“Ask him what he promised me when we moved in together.””
And Dean's silence told Avery that the six thousand dollars might not be the only secret her father had been keeping.
