They knew she’d been hoping to help them.
But they had not asked her to sell her mother-in-law’s property.
Martin was embarrassed.
Gail was frightened.
Vanessa had promised them that everything would be all right without ever having a realistic plan to make it happen.
“She’s meeting with a housing counselor about their options,” Ethan said. “We’re also going to have the loan documents reviewed before anybody promises them money.”
“That sounds sensible.”
He hesitated.
“Mom, there’s something else.”
I waited.
“Vanessa and I went through our finances. Properly. Bank statements, credit cards, everything.”
“And?”
“She has some debt I didn’t know about. Not enormous, but more than she told me.”
I looked out the window.
“Was it connected to helping her parents?”
“Some of it. Some came from wedding expenses she put on her own cards because she wanted things we hadn’t budgeted for.”
I closed my eyes briefly.
“Are you angry?”
“Yes,” he admitted. “But mostly I’m trying to understand why she was so afraid to tell me.”
“Has she explained?”
“She said she thought I’d see her differently if I knew she didn’t have everything under control.”
“And do you?”
He was quiet.
“I see that she’s been keeping important things from me. That doesn’t mean I don’t love her.”
I nodded.
“Those feelings can exist together.”
“We’re meeting with a financial counselor. And we’ve agreed that neither of us will make commitments involving the other’s money or property without discussing them.”
“That should have been true before the wedding.”
“I know.”
He sighed.
