The Richest Woman in Town Claimed Me as Her Lost Daughter on Stage, Then I Read the Date on Her Lab Report novel · Chapter 4 of 24
Chapter 4: Eleven Envelopes
My mother set the coffeepot back on its trivet, and she did not look at me.
"Hallie, honey, you're just in time," she said. "Mrs. Chalmers brought a gentleman."
The gentleman stood up.
He had a leather portfolio and a pen with a gold cap.
He had the face of a man who is paid to be sorry on someone else's behalf.
Barbara did not stand.
She sat at our yellow Formica table as if she had decorated it.
"Sweetheart, I'm so glad you came," she said. "We were just getting to the good part."
I took the chair next to my mother's, and I did not take off my coat.
The lawyer opened his portfolio and turned a page toward Peggy.
"The Margaret Weber Scholarship Fund," Barbara said, "for the children of school employees in Washington County. Five hundred thousand dollars to start, in your name, Margaret, with a plaque."
"A plaque," said my mother.
"It's the very least I can do. You raised her. You raised her so beautifully."
Barbara put her hand flat on the table, near my mother's.
"All I ask is a short joint statement, and a photograph of the two of us at the Gala, as mothers."
"As mothers," said my mother.
"Two mothers, one daughter, one town." Barbara smiled. "Nobody has to be a villain, Margaret."
I felt the folder in my bag against my ribs.
I wanted to put it on the table so badly that my hand shook, and I kept it where it was.
If I played it here, in this kitchen, Barbara would have a lawyer and a week to build a story around it.
My mother began to laugh.
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