He Wanted to Sell Our House for Her Trip, I Bought It Instead Chapter 07
On day three of the online harassment, Tiffany disappeared.
Not really disappeared. She left early for Europe.
Before she left, she cleaned out whatever money was left in the family accounts.
What was left of the money from the house. Brenda’s retirement savings—what she’d been putting away for years.
Even the paycheck Derek had just deposited. Every last cent.
“Tiffany said she was worried about not having enough money overseas. She told me to wire it to her and she’d pay me back when she landed.”
Derek stared at his phone, face white.
WeChat was blocked. Calls went straight to voicemail. He couldn’t even see her social media anymore.
“Mom, how much did you send her?”
“All of it … I sent all of it …” Brenda slapped her thigh. “She said everything is expensive there, the Euro is high, she was scared she wouldn’t have enough … so I believed her …”
Derek collapsed on the couch.
The money from the house. Brenda’s retirement. His last few months of paychecks.
All of it.
Gone.
“Mom, why didn’t you tell me first?”
“She’s your own sister! She said she’d pay me back. Was I supposed to not trust her?”
Derek opened his mouth. Nothing came out.
Yeah. His own sister.
He sold his house, got divorced, lost his job—all for that sister.
And now his sister had taken every last dollar he had.
Didn’t even leave him a pair of underwear.
The next day, Derek and Brenda couldn’t afford food.
The fridge had a few wilted greens and half a bowl of mashed potatoes.
Derek searched every drawer in the house. Found thirteen coins.
Thirteen.
He crouched on the kitchen floor and counted them three times.
All nickels.
Sixty-five cents.
He tried to find a job, but the whole city knew his story. No one would hire him.
He tried to find Tiffany, but he didn’t even know what country she was in.
He remembered how Clara had warned him about the condemnation. Don’t sell in a hurry.
He didn’t listen.
He remembered how Clara had said his sister spent money like water. He should rein her in.
He didn’t listen.
He remembered Clara’s face the last time she looked at him.
It wasn’t hatred.
It was disappointment.
Total disappointment.
Now he finally understood what disappointment meant.
Day five. Derek showed up.
He stood outside my mom’s door. Unshaven. Wrinkled clothes. He looked ten years older.
“Clara.”
I didn’t open the door. I looked at him through the security screen.
“Please. For your son’s sake. Give me the money back.” His voice was raw, cracking. “My mom and I can’t even afford to eat.”
I looked at the man outside.
This face. I used to think he was my whole world.
Now he just looked like a stranger.
“Did you ever leave your son a single dollar?”
Silence outside the door.
“Leo is three. Did you ever buy him one can of formula? One pair of pants? Did you ever take him to a park once?”
Still silence.
“You only ever sent money to your sister. Fifty grand, no hesitation. Now your sister took everything from you, so you come to me?”
“Clara, I was wrong …”
“What were you wrong about?”
“I … I shouldn’t have …”
“Shouldn’t have what? Shouldn’t have sold the house? Shouldn’t have given your sister the money? Or shouldn’t have come begging to me?”
He couldn’t answer.
“Derek, that fifty grand was your choice. Your sister taking the rest was your choice. Neither has anything to do with me.”
“Clara!”
“Leave.”
I turned and went back inside.