Chapter 6 - JASPER REFUSED TO FORGETThe next morning Jasper hid the envelope in his school backpack.
He said nothing.
Not at breakfast.
Not when Valerie asked why he looked tired.
Not when Harrison appeared again before Jasper left for school.
For the first time in his life, Jasper kept a secret from his mother.
At school he could barely concentrate.
His teacher finally crouched beside his desk.
“You okay?”
Jasper nodded.
“You sure?”
Another nod.
She did not push.
That made him want to cry.
At lunch, Jasper took out the envelope.
He did not open it.
It belonged to Mabel.
He needed to find her.
But Valerie had taken his tablet the previous night because he had been “disrespectful.”
He knew Mabel’s old phone number by heart.
At recess, he asked to visit the school office.
The secretary smiled.
“What do you need?”
“Can I call someone?”
“Your mom?”
“No.”
She hesitated.
“Who?”
“My Mabel.”
The secretary frowned.
“Your grandmother?”
Jasper thought about correcting her.
Then didn’t.
“Yes.”
Mabel answered on the second ring.
“Hello?”
Jasper almost cried at the sound of her voice.
“Mabel?”
Silence.
Then:
“Jasper?”
He covered his mouth.
“Where are you?”
“At school.”
“Are you all right?”
“Mom said I can’t call you.”
Mabel’s voice became careful.
“Then we shouldn’t get you in trouble.”
“I found something.”
“What?”
“A key.”
Mabel went silent.
“And a letter.”
“What letter?”
“Dad wrote your name.”
Mabel’s breath changed.
“Where did you find it?”
“In the blue room.”
“Oh, Jasper.”
“I heard Mom talking.”
Mabel sat down wherever she was.
“What did you hear?”
“She said you know too much.”
Silence.
“Mabel?”
“I’m here.”
“She said I might go to boarding school.”
Mabel closed her eyes.
Jasper continued.
“And Harrison was there.”
“Mr. Blake?”
“Yes.”
“They were talking about Dad’s trust.”
Mabel’s heart began pounding.
“Jasper, listen carefully.”
“Okay.”
“Do not go into that room again.”
“Why?”
“Because you should not have to investigate adults.”
“But—”
“No.”
Her voice was gentle but firm.
“Keep the envelope somewhere safe. Do not open it.”
“Why?”
“It was written to me.”
“Will I see you?”
Mabel’s voice broke.
“I’m trying.”
Jasper whispered:
“I miss you.”
Mabel pressed a hand to her mouth.
“I miss you too.”
“Mom said you were paid to love me.”
Mabel’s eyes filled.
“No.”
Jasper waited.
Mabel took a breath.
“I was paid to work in your home.”
Another breath.
“No one ever paid me to love you.”
Jasper began crying.
The secretary looked away respectfully.
Mabel continued.
“And nobody can fire me from that part.”
Jasper wiped his face.
“I knew it.”
“Yes.”
“Mabel?”
“Yes?”
“Did Dad want you to stay?”
Mabel closed her eyes.
“Yes.”
That was all she said.
But it was enough.
Jasper returned to class with something he had not had since she left.
Certainty.
That afternoon Valerie was waiting at pickup.
She looked angry.
“Did you use the office phone today?”
Jasper froze.
The secretary must have logged the call.
“Yes.”
“To Mabel?”
He said nothing.
Valerie’s jaw tightened.
“I told you not to contact her.”
“I wanted to.”
“That is not an answer.”
“She loves me.”
Valerie stared.
Jasper held her gaze.
It was the bravest thing he had ever done.
Valerie opened the car door.
“Get in.”
On the drive home, she called someone through Bluetooth.
“Harrison.”
Jasper sat in the back.
Valerie glanced at him in the mirror.
Then switched the call off speaker.
“Yes. He contacted her.”
Pause.
“No, I don’t know what she told him.”
Another pause.
“We need to move faster.”
Jasper looked out the window.
He did not understand everything.
But he understood those three words.
We need to move faster.
At home he ran upstairs.
Opened his backpack.
The envelope was gone.
Jasper emptied everything onto the floor.
Books.
Pencils.
Lunch box.
No envelope.
His breathing accelerated.
Then he heard Valerie behind him.
“Looking for something?”
Jasper turned.
She held the envelope.
His father’s handwriting faced him.
Mabel Kerrigan.
May you like
Valerie smiled without warmth.
“I think it’s time we find out what your father was hiding.”
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