Chapter 14 - The Lie Inside the Lie
Vanessa stared at the line item. It was a cash advance she'd taken four months earlier, before the wedding bills had piled up.
"That paid my mother's medical travel," she said.
Marcus looked up. "You told me your sister handled that."
"She couldn't. I didn't want you to think my family was another problem you had to solve."
He exhaled slowly. "Why would I think that?"
"Because you already do so much for Evelyn. Sometimes I feel like there's no room for anyone else's needs."
The truth sat between them, ugly and complicated. Marcus had been proud of caring for his mother. Vanessa had admired that quality when they met. Somewhere along the way, admiration had curdled into competition.
"I never told you not to help your family," he said.
"No. I told myself you would judge me."
"And then you acted as if that fear was a fact."
She nodded. There was no defense left that didn't depend on blaming somebody else for words they'd never said.
"Why didn't you tell me your mom needed help?"
"She hates being talked about. She wanted to keep it quiet."
Marcus glanced at the printed statement. "Keeping her privacy would have meant telling me we had a personal expense, not lying about the account."
"You're right."
He didn't soften at once. He had heard agreement before, usually followed by a reason it shouldn't count. This time Vanessa let the silence stand.
"I owe her an apology, too," Marcus said finally. "I assumed everything with your family was fine because you said it was. I should've asked better questions."
Vanessa looked at him. "You don't owe me a share of the blame."
"I'm not taking it. I'm trying to understand what kind of relationship we actually had."
Outside the windows, the sunlight had faded. A staff member switched on lamps at the far end of the room.
Vanessa drew the statement toward her. "I can make the first repayment next Friday."
May you like
"Put the plan in writing."
She opened her notebook. Then Marcus said something that took all the air from her lungs: "I won't be moving home with you tonight."
