“What envelope, Julian?”
He slowly reached inside his jacket, which hung over the back of his chair.
The envelope was white, thick, and creased at one corner. My name was written across it in his handwriting.
For one foolish second, hope moved through me.
Then he held it too tightly.
I extended my hand.
Inside was a printed estimate for replacing several windows in their townhouse. Beneath it was a note asking whether I could help with the deposit.
Six thousand dollars.
I read the figure twice.
“You came here to ask for more?”
Julian’s shoulders dropped.
“We thought we could talk after dinner.”
Brooke sat forward.
“The windows actually do need replacing.”
Margaret made a small sound, then covered her mouth.
I put the estimate beside the notebook.
“You hadn’t returned the money you borrowed under a lie. And you were going to ask for six thousand dollars after I cleared your plates.”
Julian stared at the envelope.
“Yes.”
There was no room left for a misunderstanding. They had brought the request into my home knowing what they had done with the first loan.
I felt the edge of my chair against my leg. I wanted to sit down, but I knew that if I did, someone would start explaining until I became too tired to disagree.
So I stayed standing.
“There will be no money for the windows.”
Brooke opened her mouth.
“And you will repay every dollar of the loan.”
“Of course,” Julian said immediately.
“I need dates, not reassurance.”
He nodded.
Brooke pushed her napkin onto her plate.
“Fine. We’ll return the bag. Apparently nobody can enjoy anything now.”
Margaret stood.
She took the handbag, placed it back inside its protective cloth, and folded the wrapping around it with careful, deliberate movements.
“I won’t enjoy something bought with Clara’s rent money.”
“It wasn’t her rent money.”
“It was money she gave because she believed you needed somewhere to live.”
Brooke’s eyes filled, but her voice sharpened.
“I wanted, for once, to give you something better than everybody else.”
Margaret stopped folding.
“I never asked you to compete with anyone.”
“You loved it five minutes ago.”
