Chapter 14 - What My Father Refused to See

The spring fundraiser had paid for a new freezer at the community pantry. At least, that's what the bakery newsletter said. Rina found the invoices, but the freezer had never been delivered.

"Twenty-six thousand," she told me. "It was supposed to cover the freezer, installation, and pantry supplies. It was routed through Golden Grove."

The total was growing faster than I could absorb.

I took the paperwork to Dad at his house. Corinne's Christmas wreath still hung on the door. The smell of cinnamon candles made my stomach turn.

"Did you know the church never got its freezer?" I asked.

He looked bewildered. "Corinne told me there was a supply delay."

"In April?"

He stared at the receipt. "I trusted her."

"You distrusted me to make that possible."

He winced as if I'd hit him.

"I thought after your mom died, we might have a chance to be a family again," he said. "Corinne made everything look easy at first. Bills got paid. Dinner was on the table. She remembered everyone's birthdays."

"And whenever I questioned her, I became the problem."

He nodded. Tears gathered in his eyes, but I wasn't ready to comfort him.

"You watched her break Mom's Christmas house," I said. "You watched me pick it up."

"I did."

"Why?"

"Because she told me if I sided with you, she'd leave, and I was afraid to be alone."

The truth wasn't noble. It wasn't even complicated. Somehow that hurt most.

My phone rang. It was Grandma's neighbor. June had felt dizzy carrying groceries and was resting while a paramedic checked her.

I drove so fast I had to remind myself at every stop sign to put my foot on the brake.

At the urgent care center, Grandma sat upright in a bed, offended by the paper gown. She was dehydrated and exhausted, but the clinician wanted her observed for several hours.

"You scared me," I whispered.

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"I scared myself a little." She touched my cheek. "Listen, sweetheart. I found your mother's last Christmas letter. It wasn't where I thought it was."

From her purse she drew a sealed envelope in Mom's handwriting, addressed to me.