“Last year, he asked for money because a customer supposedly hadn’t paid him. Later, I saw a charge from Nevada on a statement he brought me while asking about a business loan.”
“What did he say?”
“That it was a restaurant inside a casino.”
“Was it?”
“I didn’t make him prove it.”
A long silence followed.
“You told me I worried too much about his spending,” I said.
“I did.”
“You told me to let him handle the accounts.”
She nodded, eyes wet.
“I thought I was protecting his confidence. I helped him make you doubt yourself.”
Part of me wanted to forgive her instantly because she was the person sitting beside me.
Another part wanted her to understand how often I had gone home and apologized to Gavin for asking reasonable questions.
“I needed somebody to listen,” I said.
“You did. I should have.”
She let the answer remain there.
She didn’t ask me to reassure her.
We called the hospital together.
A financial counselor explained that the document was only an estimate.
The added sentence about required payment before admission wasn’t on the hospital’s copy.
She offered an appointment to discuss coverage, possible assistance, and payment arrangements.
I wrote down the time.
Marlene told me she had called the attorney who handled Frank’s estate.
He advised her to stop sending money and said I should have someone representing my own interests.
He gave her the number of a family lawyer.
“I haven’t hired anyone for you,” she said. “I can help with the first appointment if you want.”
I took the number.
Then I called the insurer.
After verifying my identity, a representative named Diane explained that the policy had ended for nonpayment.
There had been a grace period.
The deadline had passed.
“There must have been a payment problem,” I said. “My husband said he called about a billing error.”
Diane checked the notes.
“There is a call from your husband before the deadline.”
I sat straighter.
“What did he ask?”
“The amount required to keep the policy active. The representative provided that amount and explained the termination date.”
Marlene pulled a blank sheet toward me.
