I went downstairs. Mom was loading the dishwasher.
“Find what you wanted?” she asked.
“Yes,” I said. “I did.”
By the time the wedding came, everything was ready.
Helen Park had filed a petition to end the conservatorship. Grandpa had passed three separate evaluations from three independent doctors, all saying he was completely competent and had been for years. The hearing was set for two weeks after my wedding.
I’d sent my full report to the state attorney general’s office, the part that investigates charities. They’d called me twice. They were very interested.
My parents didn’t know any of it. Helen had timed the court papers to be served the Monday after the wedding.
“Let me have the wedding,” I’d told her. “Just the wedding. I don’t want them to have that too.”
I’d talked to Briar Glen and arranged to sign Grandpa out for the weekend. Daniel drove up and got him on Friday. He stayed in our guest room. He and Daniel stayed up until midnight in the garage while Daniel showed him the oak table he’d built as a wedding gift for me.
