I waited.
“For blaming Clare.”
I kept waiting.
“And for your car.”
There it was.
She looked down.
“And for the money I took from Dad.”
“That’s between you and Dad.”
“I know.”
She pulled something from her bag.
An envelope.
I did not touch it.
“What’s that?”
“Car repair.”
“Tessa.”
“I’ve been sending Dad money every month too.”
“How much?”
“Three hundred.”
“That’ll take a while.”
“I know.”
I opened the envelope.
Inside was a check.
$2,840.
The amount from the body shop invoice.
“How did you know the total?”
“Mom had a copy.”
Of course she did.
I slid the check back.
Tessa’s face fell.
“You’re not taking it?”
“No.”
She looked angry.
Immediately.
Old pattern.
“I knew it. You want to hold it over me forever.”
“No.”
“Then take it.”
“I don’t need the money.”
“That’s not the point.”
She stopped herself.
