“How much are we talking about?”
“A little under fifty million.”
She froze.
“Dollars?”
“Yes.”
She looked at my old handbag.
“That thing is eight years old.”
“It still works.”
She laughed, then her eyes filled.
“Why didn’t you tell Hugo?”
“At first because it was private.”
“And later?”
“I wanted to know how people treated me when they believed I had nothing to give them.”
Olivia lowered her eyes.
“Now you know.”
“Yes.”
Christmas Eve morning, Hugo called.
“Mom, I went by your apartment.”
“Why?”
“I wanted to bring something.”
“You could have called.”
“Where are you?”
“I told you. My house.”
“You actually bought another place?”
“Yes.”
“With what money?”
I smiled.
“That’s an interesting first question.”
“Mom.”
“We can talk another day.”
“I want to see you.”
“You have dinner plans.”
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Then I heard Gabriel.
“Grandma?”
“Hugo, put him on.”
His small voice came through.
