She Handed Me a Paper Plate, So I Canceled Her Whole Family novel · Chapter 17 of 24

Chapter 17: Boring Paperwork

The lender's man was waiting in Esther's living room when we got there, seated on the couch I had paid for.

Two quiet associates stood by the window.

Esther sat upright in an armchair with her handbag on her knee.

Brodie perched on the arm of the couch, and Kelsey stood halfway up the stairs with no phone in her hand.

"Ms. Hartnell," the man said. "Thank you for coming."

"I'll stand," Daniel said, and leaned in the doorway.

The man opened his briefcase and laid two documents on the coffee table.

"Eleven months ago Mr. Kittredge borrowed six hundred thousand dollars from me. With interest it is eleven hundred thousand."

"Against what?" I asked.

"His expectations." He smiled. "He told me he owned half of a company about to announce a very large contract in Asia."

Brodie stared at his shoes.

"The contract is announced and he owns nothing. So I turn to the second page."

He slid it toward Esther.

"Mrs. Kittredge, this is a guaranty you signed in March. The collateral is this house."

"That's the tax form," Esther said.

"It's my loan guaranty, ma'am. Your signature, notarized."

Esther did not look at the paper.

She looked at her son.

"Brodie. You told me it was for the property taxes."

Brodie's mouth worked.

"Mom, it was only boring paperwork. A formality. I didn't want you to worry."

I watched my mother-in-law hear those exact words.

I had heard them in a restaurant six years ago, over a glass of wine.

She was hearing them now, in her own living room, in her son's voice.

"Boring paperwork," Esther said.

On the stairs, Kelsey put a hand over her mouth.

The lender's man waited with great courtesy.

"The house is mine on the first of the month," he said. "The contents sell at auction on Saturday to cover the interest. That leaves about eight hundred thousand."

He turned to me.

"A wife's co-signature would settle it. For the family. I would release the sale and the lien."

Esther turned in her chair.

"Susannah," she said.

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