Chapter 4 - The Son Who Finally Chose Himself
Arthur realized what he had said almost immediately.
The paramedic did not.
“All right, sir. You can ride with us.”
Arthur glanced toward Leo.
His son’s expression had become unreadable.
“Leo.”
“Don’t.”
Arthur lowered his voice.
“This isn’t the time.”
Leo laughed.
“When exactly is the right time to find out my father got my girlfriend pregnant?”
The paramedic looked uncomfortable.
Valerie covered her face.
Eleanor stood.
“Everyone needs to calm down.”
Leo turned toward her.
“You told me to raise his child.”
“Leo—”
“You knew.”
“We were trying to protect the family.”
“What family?”
That question hit Eleanor harder than anything I had ever said.
Leo pointed toward Arthur.
“He slept with Valerie.”
Then toward me.
“He cheated on Sarah.”
Then toward himself.
“He used my trust.”
Arthur stepped forward.
“That is business, and you don’t understand—”
“I understand enough.”
“Leo.”
“No.”
For the first time, Leo’s voice sounded like a man’s rather than a boy trying to earn his father’s approval.
“You don’t get to tell me what I understand anymore.”
The paramedics took Valerie downstairs.
Arthur followed.
Eleanor stayed behind.
Mostly because she had nowhere else to go.
The apartment management had sent a representative upstairs while the ambulance was there.
Mr. Hanley had been our building manager for three years.
He looked uncomfortable as he handed Arthur the paperwork.
“Mr. Whitmore, as I explained, the leaseholder declined renewal.”
Eleanor pointed toward me.
“She did that maliciously.”
Mr. Hanley looked at her.
“She was the lease guarantor.”
“This is my son’s residence.”
“It is a leased residence.”
Eleanor looked offended by the distinction.
“You cannot force a pregnant woman onto the street.”
“No one is forcing anyone onto the street, ma’am. We provided the legally required notice.”
Arthur had returned from the elevator.
Apparently Valerie had insisted he stay.
Or perhaps the hospital would not allow him in the ambulance.
He snatched the paperwork.
“What would it take to transfer the lease?”
Mr. Hanley hesitated.
“Income verification and security.”
“How much security?”
“Given the updated financial screening, six months.”
Arthur stared.
“That’s almost sixty thousand dollars.”
“Yes.”
“I’ve lived here eight years.”
“Mrs. Whitmore qualified for the lease.”
The word Mrs. cut differently now.
Arthur looked at me.
“Sarah.”
“No.”
“I haven’t asked anything yet.”
“You’re going to ask me for sixty thousand dollars.”
His jaw tightened.
“I need temporary help.”
Leo laughed quietly.
Arthur looked toward him.
“You stay out of this.”
“No.”
Leo stepped beside me.
“I think I’m finally getting involved.”
Eleanor stared at him.
“You’re choosing her over your father?”
Leo shook his head.
“I’m choosing myself.”
It may have been the proudest moment of my life.
Not because he chose me.
Because he finally understood that refusing abuse was not betrayal.
Arthur looked around the empty apartment.
“You’re all acting insane.”
I almost admired his ability to see himself as the victim.
“You slept with your son’s girlfriend.”
“That was complicated.”
“You forged my name.”
His face changed.
Leo looked sharply at him.
Eleanor frowned.
“What is she talking about?”
Arthur stared at me.
“Sarah.”
“You should probably save that conversation for your attorney.”
“What documents do you have?”
Enough fear entered his voice that I knew we had found the nerve.
I smiled slightly.
“The fact that you asked tells me everything.”
Eleanor looked between us.
“Arthur?”
He ignored her.
“Those company records are confidential.”
“Not when my name is on them.”
“You had access to company finances.”
“No.”
“You advised me.”
“As your wife.”
“You knew I was using investment money.”
“I knew you borrowed money from me.”
“You approved transfers.”
“Not the ones with forged signatures.”
His face went pale.
Eleanor whispered.
“Forged?”
Leo pulled out his phone.
“I saw them too.”
Arthur rounded on him.
“You stole company information.”
“No.”
Leo’s voice remained calm.
“I photographed evidence that my father was using my stepmother’s identity.”
“You have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“Then explain.”
Arthur had nothing.
The building manager cleared his throat.
“I’m going to give you privacy, but possession needs to be returned tomorrow by five.”
He left.
Eleanor sank onto the only remaining chair.
A wooden kitchen chair the movers had missed.
“What are we supposed to do?”
I looked at her.
The woman who had told me less than twenty-four hours earlier that there was no room for me.
“I don’t know.”
She stared.
“You don’t know?”
“No.”
“You’re leaving us homeless?”
“No, Eleanor.”
I picked up my handbag.
“You are adults who need to find somewhere to live.”
Arthur followed me toward the door.
“Sarah, please.”
I stopped.
He lowered his voice.
“Whatever happened with Valerie, I can explain.”
“Can you?”
“Yes.”
“Then explain the baby.”
He looked down.
“It wasn’t planned.”
“Neither was our infertility.”
He flinched.
I had never used the subject as a weapon.
For twelve years, he had watched his mother use it against me and said little.
Now he finally understood how deep those wounds went.
“You let your mother humiliate me for something I couldn’t control while you were creating another family behind my back.”
“That’s not fair.”
I stared at him.
Arthur heard himself.
For once, even he looked ashamed.
“Sarah.”
I opened the door.
“You should go to the hospital.”
“What about us?”
“There is no us.”
I stepped into the hallway.
Leo followed.
Eleanor called after him.
“Where are you going?”
“With Sarah.”
“You live here.”
He looked back.
“Not anymore.”
We walked toward the elevator.
As the doors closed, I saw Eleanor sitting alone in the empty apartment.
For a brief moment, I felt sorry for her.
Then Leo spoke.
“Sarah?”
“Yes?”
“I have nowhere to stay.”
I looked at him.
He looked embarrassed.
“I can get a hotel.”
“No.”
He blinked.
“You can stay with me.”
“After everything?”
“You didn’t do everything.”
He swallowed.
“I believed Grandma about you for years.”
“I know.”
“I was terrible sometimes.”
“You were a child.”
“I’m not a child now.”
“No.”
I smiled softly.
“You’re not.”
The elevator opened.
My phone rang.
Marcus.
I answered.
“Sarah, we found something.”
“What?”
“Arthur used your forged signature on a federally backed business loan.”
I stopped walking.
“How much?”
“Two point three million dollars.”
Leo stared at me.
Marcus continued.
“And the lender opened an investigation this afternoon.”
I looked back toward the elevator.
May you like
Arthur thought he had one day to solve an apartment problem.
He had no idea that by morning, keeping a roof over his head would be the least of his concerns.
