Chapter 14 - Grayson’s QuestionGrayson asked the hardest question while building a model airplane.
“Does Aunt Tabitha love me?”
Thaddeus stopped.
The therapist had warned him questions would come unpredictably.
Dinner.
Car rides.
Homework.
Never when adults were prepared.
“Yes.”
The answer surprised even him.
Grayson looked up.
“Then why did she do that?”
There it was.
Thaddeus sat across from him.
“I don’t have a simple answer.”
“Did I make her mad?”
“No.”
“Mom?”
“Your mom made her angry sometimes.”
“So it was Mom?”
“No.”
Thaddeus leaned forward.
“Listen to me.”
“Someone can make you angry.”
“You still choose what you do with that anger.”
Grayson frowned.
“If you make me mad and I break your phone…”
“I’d be very unhappy.”
“But you made me mad.”
“That wouldn’t make me responsible for the phone.”
Grayson nodded slowly.
“Then Mom didn’t make Aunt Tabitha do it.”
“No.”
“And I didn’t.”
“No.”
“Good.”
He returned to the plane.
Then:
“Did you?”
Thaddeus almost smiled.
“No.”
Then corrected himself.
“I made mistakes that gave Tabitha too much control.”
“What mistakes?”
“I didn’t listen enough.”
“To Mom?”
“Yes.”
“To Bernice?”
“Yes.”
“To me?”
Thaddeus swallowed.
“Yes.”
Grayson looked at him.
“I told you I didn’t like when she stayed over.”
Thaddeus remembered.
He had said:
“She’s your aunt. Be grateful she helps.”
His stomach tightened.
“You did.”
“You said I was being difficult.”
“I was wrong.”
Grayson stared.
“Are adults allowed to be wrong?”
“Constantly.”
“Then why do adults act like kids are the problem?”
Thaddeus laughed softly.
“Excellent question.”
Grayson returned to the airplane.
Then:
“I don’t want to see her.”
“Okay.”
“Maybe when I’m ten.”
“Maybe.”
“Maybe never.”
“Also okay.”
The therapist later told Thaddeus:
“Do not make reconciliation a goal.”
“I’m not.”
“Good.”
“Safety first.”
“Choice second.”
“Relationship only if Grayson wants it.”
Thaddeus nodded.
Then:
“What about me?”
“What about you?”
“I don’t know whether I want a relationship with her.”
The therapist smiled faintly.
“Then don’t make yourself decide today either.”
Interesting.
Boundaries applied to adults too.
Meanwhile, the legal case moved.
Tabitha’s attorneys proposed restitution.
Sell Magnolia Ridge.
Liquidate her Birmingham condo if needed.
Return misused trust funds.
Repay Grayson’s custodial account.
Give up all fiduciary roles.
In exchange, they hoped cooperation would affect criminal charging and sentencing.
Thaddeus did not oppose restitution.
He refused one request.
Tabitha wanted the family to sign a statement saying she had “historically acted in good faith for the benefit of the Rowan family.”
“No.”
Maya nodded.
“Good.”
“She did some things in good faith.”
“Probably.”
“I won’t sign a sentence that lets her turn that into the meaning of everything.”
Exactly.
Then a second request.
Tabitha wanted private mediation with Thaddeus.
He accepted.
Lawyers nearby.
No Grayson.
They met in a neutral office.
Tabitha looked older.
Not physically changed much.
But the certainty was gone.
She sat.
“I sold Magnolia Ridge.”
Thaddeus nodded.
“I heard.”
“I lost almost everything I put into it.”
“I know.”
“You don’t feel bad?”
“Yes.”
Her eyes widened.
Thaddeus continued:
“I feel bad.”
“I also think selling it was necessary.”
Tabitha looked down.
“I found Dad’s letters.”
“I know.”
“He admitted he failed me.”
“Yes.”
“Do you understand what that means?”
Thaddeus answered carefully.
“Yes.”
“He made you raise me.”
“He turned care into your identity.”
“He promised you Magnolia Ridge instead of apologizing.”
Tabitha’s eyes filled.
Then:
“And none of that gave you the right to forge Caroline’s name.”
She closed her eyes.
“No.”
“Or take Grayson’s money.”
“No.”
“Or hurt him.”
Her voice broke.
“No.”
Thaddeus watched his sister finally hold both stories at once.
Hurt.
Responsibility.
Then Tabitha whispered:
“I hated Caroline because she could say no to me and you still loved her.”
Thaddeus felt the sentence.
“She proved my place wasn’t necessary.”
“No.”
He shook his head.
“She proved your place didn’t require control.”
Tabitha stared.
That distinction seemed new.
Then:
“Will Grayson ever forgive me?”
“I don’t know.”
“Will you?”
Thaddeus thought.
“I’m not there.”
Tabitha nodded.
No argument.
That was progress.
Then she said:
“I have one more thing that belonged to Caroline.”
Thaddeus froze.
“What?”
“A recording.”
“Of what?”
May you like
Tabitha looked ashamed.
“The last conversation we had.”
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