“He’s on a ventilator, Mother.”
“I understand that.”
“No, you don’t.”
Her breathing sharpened.
“You have no right to lecture me after what your husband has done.”
I leaned against the wall.
“What exactly has David done?”
“He has instructed people to examine my private finances.”
“Did you put my name on a loan guarantee?”
Silence.
I waited.
“Mother?”
“Those arrangements are complicated.”
“Did you authorize someone to sign my name?”
“Everything was done to protect the family.”
I felt my stomach drop.
“That’s not an answer.”
“You benefited from this family’s reputation your entire life.”
“So that gave you permission to use my identity?”
Her voice rose.
“Don’t pretend you’ve never accepted anything from me!”
I thought about the birthday gifts that always came with conditions.
The wedding expenses she had offered to pay only if David agreed to disappear from the photographs.
