Chapter 15 - SUSAN ASKED TO SEE LILY
Six months passed.
Robert resigned as trustee under court supervision.
An independent fiduciary took control.
The lake-house purchase collapsed.
Improper funds were traced and partially restored through sale of assets, repayment agreements, insurance claims, and litigation.
Criminal investigation continued separately.
Miranda found a job at a counseling center as an intake coordinator.
Ironically, close to the graduate program she had once pretended to attend.
She reapplied legitimately.
This time she completed financial-aid forms herself.
David froze the fraudulent account opened in his name and cooperated fully.
Susan moved out of the home she shared with Robert.
Not divorce immediately.
Separation.
Then she asked to see Lily.
Emily said no.
Susan accepted it.
A month later she asked again.
No.
Three months later:
“Could I write her a letter?”
Emily discussed it with Naomi.
Lily said yes.
The first letter was terrible.
Too much explanation.
Too much:
Grandma was stressed.
Grandma made a mistake.
Emily did not give it to Lily.
She told Susan why.
Susan rewrote it.
Second letter:
I left you somewhere unsafe because I was angry. You asked me to take you with us and I chose not to. That was wrong. You did nothing to cause it. I am sorry. You do not have to forgive me or see me.
Emily gave Lily that one.
Lily read slowly.
Then asked:
“Did Grandma write this?”
“Yes.”
“By herself?”
“Mostly.”
“What did you change?”
Emily smiled.
“Nothing in that version.”
Lily folded the letter.
“Can I keep it?”
“Yes.”
“Do I have to answer?”
“No.”
She didn’t.
Not for another four months.
Then she drew Susan a picture.
Not of family.
Of an SUV.
Every seat had a name.
Lily’s name was written on the front passenger seat in purple crayon.
Susan received it and cried for an hour.
Emily heard that from Miranda.
She felt no satisfaction.
May you like
Only sadness.
Sometimes accountability hurt because it should.
