Chapter 4: The Missing Education Fund
Principal Harris locked her office door after the six of us entered.
Ms.
Hale placed the scholarship form beside her computer.
Noah remained near me.
“Dad, answer the question.”
Mark sat down heavily.
“Your grandmother created an education account when you were ten.”
“I know,” Noah said.
“You told me it would help with college.”
“It was supposed to.”
“How much was in it?”
Mark rubbed both hands over his face.
“Forty-two thousand dollars.”
Noah’s voice dropped.
“Was?”
Vanessa crossed her arms.
“Your father used some during a difficult year.
Don’t make him sound like a monster.”
I faced Mark.
“You took money meant for Noah?”
“I signed one withdrawal,” he said.
“Eight thousand.
Vanessa said we could repay it after selling her old house.”
“Her old house was never hers,” I said.
“It belonged to her sister.”
Vanessa pulled out her phone.
“You always were jealous of anyone who had more than you.”
“I worked double shifts while you emptied my son’s account.”
“Prove I emptied anything.”
Ms.
Hale pushed the authorization form toward me.
“Is this your signature?”
The loops resembled mine, but the final stroke leaned the wrong way.
“No.
I don’t write the B like that.”
Vanessa leaned over the desk.
“You’ve signed hundreds of clinic forms.
Perhaps you forgot.”
My sister slapped her palm against the table.
“Elena remembers skipping meals.
She would remember taking twelve thousand dollars.”
Noah lifted the form.
“This transfer account ends in 4419.
Whose is it?”
Mark’s shoulders sagged.
“Vanessa’s business account.”
Vanessa snatched for the page, but Noah pulled it back.
“It was temporary,” she said.
“The scholarship office required an account with immediate access.”
“Then why use Mom’s name?” Noah asked.
“Because she is listed as your primary parent.”
My knees weakened, and the chair scraped as I sat.
Noah turned toward me.
“Mom?”
“Forty-two thousand,” I whispered.
“I kept telling you I was sorry I couldn’t save more.”
Noah crouched beside me.
“You paid for everything I needed.”
Mark took one step forward.
“Elena, I didn’t know she took the rest.”
I looked up at him.
“You knew about the first withdrawal and said nothing.”
“I was ashamed.”
“You let me believe I had failed him.”
Mark’s face folded.
“I’m sorry.”
“No,” Noah said, rising between us.
“Sorry comes after the truth, not instead of it.”
A knock sounded at the door.
The young usher stood outside with his mother, a cafeteria worker I recognized from school events.
“My name is Daniel,” he said when Principal Harris let them in.
“I need to tell Mrs.
Brooks something.”
Vanessa rolled her eyes.
“We’ve heard enough from you.”
Daniel placed the envelope in my hands.
“I’m sorry I sent you to the back.
My mother’s hours were cut, and Vanessa said this money could cover our rent.”
His mother gripped his shoulder.
“We brought every dollar back.”
“You needed it,” I said.
“Not like that,” she replied.
“Need doesn’t make humiliation right.”
Daniel removed a small device from his pocket.
“I record instructions during big events so I don’t forget details.
Vanessa’s whole conversation with me is on this.”
Vanessa’s face hardened.
“Delete it, and I won’t report you for accepting money.”
Principal Harris held out her hand.
“Give me the recorder, Daniel.”
Vanessa moved toward him.
“Think about your future before you do something foolish.”
Daniel placed it in the principal’s palm.
“My future shouldn’t begin with helping you hurt someone.”
The office telephone rang.
Ms.
Hale answered and listened without speaking.
“What is it?” I asked.
She put the call on speaker.
A bank representative’s voice filled the room.
“We have an urgent concern regarding Noah Bennett’s education account.
A request was made thirty minutes ago to transfer the remaining balance and close it.”
May you like
Noah stared at Vanessa’s phone.
Vanessa had been typing beneath the table.
