Chapter 3 - THE UNRAVELING OF GUILT
The transition from a quiet, defensive mother back into a woman determined to protect her sanctuary was instantaneous and absolute.
For three long years, I had let Wyatt believe that my silence was a sign of submission, that my maternal love was an endless resource he could exploit to fund his late-night drinking, his joblessness, and his toxic frustration with the world.
He stood near the refrigerator, his chest heaving as he tried to construct a plausible lie, a desperate justification that would make him look like the victim once again.
“It wasn't a real hit, Dad,” he blustered, his hands gesturing wildly.
“She was hysterical last night. She was screaming at me over a simple mistake. I just tried to push her away so I could leave the room, and she tripped against the counter. She’s exaggerating to make me look like the bad guy, just like she always does!”
Harrison didn't look up from the papers.
He slowly flipped to the second page of the folder, revealing a series of high-definition digital printouts that made Wyatt’s jaw lock in sudden, rigid terror.
“I didn't just hop on a flight from Denver because of an argument, Wyatt,” Harrison said quietly.
“I’ve been working with a forensic accounting firm for the past six weeks. Before your mother even called me last night, we logged the unauthorized digital withdrawals you’ve been making from her library retirement account.”
“You used her security PIN to transfer twelve thousand dollars into a secondary checking account registered under your name,” I added, stepping closer to Harrison’s side.
“You believed that because I was exhausted from my library shifts, because I trusted you when you said you were trying to find work, I would never audit the secondary statements.”
“You didn't just strike me last night, Wyatt. You’ve been systematically robbing the only person who kept you from the street.”
Wyatt's face shifted from pale to an aggressive, venomous red.
He slammed his fist against the edge of the drywall.
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“That was family money! You owe me that much after you let Dad leave for Colorado! You think you can just bring him back here to scare me into signing something?”
“We aren't asking you to sign anything, son,” Harrison stated, a dangerous focus settling behind his eyes as he stood up from the table.
