Chapter 13 - THE PHONE CODY NEVER GOT
Cody never received the promised iPhone.
That became a joke eventually.
Not immediately.
Months after the birthday, Cody saved money.
Allowance from chores.
Small jobs for neighbors.
Birthday money.
He wanted a refurbished phone.
Drew said no at first because they could not afford the service plan.
Cody became furious.
Old entitlement.
Then caught himself.
“What if I pay half?”
Drew looked surprised.
They made a plan.
Maggie contributed nothing.
That was harder than it sounded.
She wanted to.
Not because Cody needed rescuing.
Because giving was how Maggie expressed love.
She had to learn that withholding unnecessary help could also be love.
When Cody finally bought the phone, he showed Theo.
Theo said:
“Don't jump on anything.”
Cody laughed.
“Shut up.”
Maggie smiled.
The boys were becoming ordinary cousins again.
Not innocent.
But ordinary.
Olivia chose a state university over a private school.
The trust could have paid more.
She did not want it.
“I want money left for later.”
Drew struggled not to interpret it as criticism.
Progress.
Michael contributed to Olivia's expenses.
Slowly.
Consistently.
No grand repayment of the inheritance he lost.
He would never fully restore it.
But he stopped hiding.
Drew and Michael became better co-parents than spouses.
Maggie found that strangely hopeful.
Some relationships did not need reunion to improve.
Then Theo started asking about Daniel.
More.
At nine, memory became questions.
“Did Dad ever lie to you?”
Maggie froze.
She could have said:
Everyone lies sometimes.
Instead:
“Yes.”
“About what?”
“Money.”
Theo looked surprised.
“Dad was bad with money?”
“Once.”
“Did you get mad?”
“I found out after he died.”
Theo processed.
“That's unfair.”
“Yes.”
“Can you be mad at someone dead?”
“Yes.”
“Do they know?”
Maggie smiled sadly.
“I don't think that's the point.”
She told him an age-appropriate version.
Daniel borrowed from an account he should not have.
He replaced most.
Maggie restored the rest.
Theo asked:
“Was Dad still good?”
Maggie took a breath.
“Your dad was loving.”
“That isn't what I asked.”
Again.
Children.
Maggie answered:
“He was good in many ways and wrong in some important ways.”
Theo thought.
“Like Aunt Drew?”
Maggie almost laughed.
“Like everyone.”
He did not like that.
“That's annoying.”
“Very.”
The family stopped making saints.
That might have been one of the biggest changes.
James had been loving and naive.
Daniel loving and secretive.
Maggie generous and controlling.
Drew loving and dishonest.
Michael remorseful and destructive.
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Children no longer had to choose between worship and hatred.
Truth could hold contradiction.
