Chapter 2 - Forty-Eight Thousand Dollars
For a few seconds, I heard nothing but the oxygen flowing beside Layla's bed.
"Forty-eight thousand?"
Dad sighed. "Don't say it like that."
"How else would you like me to say it?"
"Jason needed help. The wedding ran over budget. The resort deposit is nonrefundable. Your mother and I are stretched. You have better credit."
I almost laughed.
Not because it was funny.
Because my brain had run out of normal reactions.
"You used my name because I have better credit?"
"We haven't completed it yet. That's why I need the number."
"Whose idea was this?"
Silence.
I already knew.
"Mom's?"
"Claire, this is family."
I looked at Layla's tiny chest rising beneath the blanket.
"My family is lying in an ICU bed."
Dad went quiet.
I waited for shame to arrive in his voice.
It didn't.
"Jason is your family too."
Something inside me hardened.
"Then Jason can take out Jason's loan."
I hung up.
My hands shook so badly I nearly dropped the phone.
Andrea stepped closer. "Do you need security?"
"No. I need a banker, a lawyer, and about twelve hours of sleep."
She pulled the chair toward me with her foot. "Start with sitting down."
I did.
Ten minutes later, while Layla slept, I opened my banking app.
My checking account looked normal.
Savings looked normal.
Credit cards looked normal.
Then I opened my credit monitoring account.
There was a new hard inquiry from North River Lending.
Yesterday.
My stomach dropped.
I had not applied for anything yesterday.
I clicked into the alert.
Loan type: personal.
Applicant: Claire Bennett.
Co-applicant: Jason Mercer.
My brother.
I called North River Lending from the ICU hallway.
A woman named Melissa answered after I pushed through three menus.
"I need to report identity fraud," I said.
Her tone sharpened immediately. "Can you verify your name and date of birth?"
I did.
She typed for several seconds.
Then stopped.
"Ms. Bennett," she said carefully, "I need to place you on a brief hold."
"Why?"
"Because according to this file, the application was electronically signed last night."
My mouth went dry.
"I didn't sign anything."
Another pause.
"It also includes a copy of your driver's license."
That was when I remembered the family group chat from three weeks earlier.
Mom had asked me to send a photo of my license because the wedding hotel supposedly needed it to add me to a room block.
I had sent it without thinking.
Melissa came back on the line.
"Ms. Bennett, there is one more thing you should know."
I pressed my hand against the wall.
May you like
"What?"
"The funds are scheduled to disburse at noon."
