Emily was prepared for all of it.
Jason called first.
The arrogance that usually lived in his voice was gone.
He sounded exhausted and empty.
“Emily. It’s Jason.”
“I know. Go ahead.”
“You were right about Dad.”
She said nothing.
“I checked everything. All of it. There’s no land. No paperwork. Nothing.”
Jason swallowed audibly.
“For two years, I gave him two hundred thousand. Daniel gave him around the same amount.”
“I’m sorry,” Emily said, and meant it.
“My wife left me.”
Jason’s voice cracked.
“She took our daughter and went to stay with her mother. She says she won’t come back unless I repay what I took from her. For two years, she handed me every paycheck, and I gave half of that money to Dad like an absolute idiot.”
“You did make a terrible decision,” Emily said. “But you still have a chance to try to repair some of the damage.”
“Daniel is with Dad right now. He’s screaming so loudly I could hear him over the phone. Dad keeps saying the money is invested and that everything will come back soon.”
Jason gave a bitter laugh.
“He’s still lying.”
Claire called not long afterward.
“Emily, you might want to sit down.”
“What happened?”
“Dad disappeared.”
Emily went quiet.
“What do you mean, disappeared?”
“Mom went next door for a little while. While she was gone, he packed a suitcase and left.”
Claire paused.
“He left a note on the kitchen table. It said, ‘Don’t look for me. I’ll pay the money back.’ That’s all.”
“How is your mother?”
“Strangely calm.”
Claire sounded almost surprised herself.
“She said some part of her has been expecting something like this for years. According to her, Dad has always been this way. Big promises. Beautiful speeches. Impossible plans. Then, eventually, nothing but emptiness.”
