Chapter 7 - The Thanksgiving Showdown
Three weeks later, it was Thanksgiving. For the first time in my life, I didn't receive an invitation to the family dinner—not that there was much of a family dinner to be had.
My parents had been forced to downsize drastically. Their large suburban home was on the market to pay off their debts, and they were renting a cramped, two-bedroom duplex on the bad side of town. Ryan was sleeping on their couch, his expensive clothes now wrinkling in cheap plastic bins in the garage.
I spent my Thanksgiving at the Vance estate, surrounded by warmth, laughter, and an abundance of food. But the peace didn't last long.
At 4:00 p.m., my phone rang. It was my mother. Against my better judgment, I answered it.
"Claire," she wept into the phone, the sound of her tears no longer moving me the way they used to. "Please. Your father is facing indictment next week for that signature. The lawyers say he could go to federal prison for up to five years. Ryan is so depressed he won't leave the house. We don't even have enough money to cover the heat this month. You have millions, Claire! You just signed that huge deal with the Vance family! How can you eat turkey while your own blood is starving?"
"My blood left me standing outside a church while they took family photos, Mom," I said, my voice cold as ice. "My blood told me I wasn't 'close family' enough to watch my brother get married, even though I bought the house he was planning to live in."
"Ryan made a mistake!" she shrieked. "He was under pressure! We all were!"
"You weren't under pressure when you co-signed a boat loan, Mom. You were greedy," I said. "Tell Dad to talk to his public defender. I am not dropping the lawsuit, and I am not withdrawing my testimony to the D.A. You chose your side two days before the wedding. Now you get to live with the consequences."
Before she could scream another word, I hung up the phone and blocked her number permanently.
May you like
I walked back out to the terrace, where Megan was pouring champagne. She looked up and smiled, handing me a glass. "Everything okay?"
"Everything is perfect," I said, looking out over the beautiful Texas landscape. "The trash just tried to call, but I already threw it out."
