Chapter 9 - Sophie’s Backpack
Eric did not come home that night.
Laura said he had a meeting.
Margaret did not believe her.
At ten, Sophie appeared in the library carrying her school backpack.
“Mom says I should sleep with you.”
Margaret looked up.
“Why?”
“She said she has to go somewhere.”
Margaret stood immediately.
“Where is your mother?”
“Packing.”
Margaret found Laura in the guest suite placing clothes into a duffel bag.
“What is happening?”
Laura turned.
“Eric called.”
“From where?”
“He’s at Harbor Point.”
“What does he want?”
“To talk.”
“Why are you packing?”
Laura shoved a sweater into the bag.
“Because I’m taking Sophie to a hotel after.”
Margaret stared.
“You are leaving him?”
“I don’t know.”
“That isn’t an answer.”
“I don’t have an answer!”
Laura sat on the bed.
For several seconds she looked younger than Sophie.
“I need to know how bad it is.”
Margaret remained standing.
“His debt?”
“Everything.”
“Then talk to him with an attorney.”
Laura laughed bitterly.
“I don’t have an attorney.”
“You can get one.”
“With what money?”
Margaret almost said she would pay.
Stopped.
Help did not have to mean taking over.
“Evelyn can give you referrals.”
Laura looked at her.
“After what I did?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because wanting you to face consequences is not the same as wanting you trapped.”
Laura began crying.
Margaret sat beside her.
Not touching.
Not yet.
Laura whispered, “I knew about the developer.”
“I know.”
“I knew Eric wanted your signature.”
“I know.”
“I told myself it would make everything easier.”
“I know.”
“Are you ever going to forgive me?”
Margaret looked toward the dark windows.
“I don’t know.”
Laura nodded as if the answer hurt but was deserved.
Then Margaret said, “But I am still your mother.”
Laura covered her face.
That was when Margaret touched her shoulder.
Not absolution.
Contact.
An hour later Laura called an attorney from Evelyn’s referral list.
She did not meet Eric alone.
Instead they arranged a meeting the next morning at the attorney’s office.
Sophie slept in Margaret’s room.
At three in the morning Margaret woke and found the child sitting on the floor beside the bed.
“Sophie?”
The girl looked up.
“I can’t sleep.”
Margaret turned on the lamp.
“Come here.”
Sophie climbed onto the bed.
After several minutes she whispered, “Are Mom and Dad divorcing?”
“I don’t know.”
“Is it because of you?”
Margaret’s heart broke.
“No.”
“Dad says you’re trying to break us.”
Margaret breathed slowly.
“Your parents have problems between themselves. Those problems are not your fault, and they are not caused by one person.”
Sophie stared at the blanket.
“I poured water on you.”
“Yes.”
“I was mean.”
“Yes.”
“Would Grandpa be mad?”
Margaret considered lying.
“No.”
That would have been easy.
Instead she said, “He would probably tell you it was a terrible thing to do.”
Sophie’s eyes filled.
Margaret continued.
“And then he would ask whether you understood why.”
“I wanted Mom to laugh.”
There it was.
Honest.
“I know.”
“She laughs more when Dad’s happy.”
Margaret looked at her.
Sophie continued.
“When he’s mad, everybody gets quiet.”
Margaret felt a chill.
“Does he yell at you?”
“Sometimes.”
“Does he hurt you?”
Sophie shook her head.
“No.”
Margaret believed her but noted the answer.
Sophie reached for her backpack.
“I have something.”
She pulled out a thin black folder.
“I took it from Dad’s office.”
Margaret’s immediate reaction was alarm.
“You should not take private documents.”
“I know.”
“Why did you?”
Sophie’s mouth trembled.
“Because he said if anyone found it, we’d lose everything.”
Margaret stared.
“When?”
“Yesterday.”
“What did you hear?”
Sophie hugged the folder.
“He was on the phone. He said Grandpa screwed him and you found the room.”
Margaret’s pulse accelerated.
“Who was he talking to?”
“I don’t know.”
Sophie extended the folder.
Margaret did not take it.
Not yet.
“Where was this?”
“In Dad’s bag.”
“Sophie, did you go through his things?”
“I was looking for my charger.”
Margaret believed that part.
Then fear had taken over.
Margaret called Evelyn despite the hour.
“I have a problem.”
“What kind?”
“Sophie brought me documents from Eric’s bag.”
Evelyn was instantly awake.
“Do not read them.”
Margaret looked at the folder.
“Why?”
“Because if they are privileged communications with his lawyer, we do not want you intentionally reviewing them.”
Margaret felt almost relieved to have a rule.
“What do I do?”
“Put them somewhere secure. We’ll determine how to return them properly.”
Sophie looked disappointed.
“Grandma?”
Margaret ended the call and explained.
“We don’t get to use things just because we found them.”
“But what if he did something bad?”
“Then adults will find out the right way.”
Sophie stared.
“What if the right way doesn’t work?”
Margaret understood why an eleven-year-old might ask that.
Because the adults around her had spent months showing her that rules bent around money and fear.
Margaret took Sophie’s hand.
“Then we still do not become dishonest to prove somebody else was dishonest.”
Sophie thought.
Then nodded.
Margaret placed the folder in a sealed envelope without opening it.
At breakfast, Laura returned.
She looked exhausted.
But calmer.
“I hired the attorney.”
Margaret nodded.
“And?”
“Eric admitted more debt.”
“How much?”
Laura swallowed.
“Almost three million now.”
Margaret closed her eyes.
“He used our house as collateral.”
“Your Wellesley house?”
“Yes.”
“Does Sophie know?”
“No.”
“She knows you may lose everything.”
Laura stared.
Margaret told her about the backpack.
Laura’s face changed from horror to shame.
“We did this to her.”
“Yes.”
Laura sat.
For once Margaret did not soften the truth.
“Yes, you did.”
Laura cried.
Then the front door opened.
Eric walked in.
He took one look at Laura.
Then Margaret.
Then Sophie’s backpack by the stairs.
“Where is my black folder?”
The room went silent.
Sophie appeared at the hallway entrance.
Eric’s face changed when he saw her.
“You.”
Margaret stepped between them before she consciously decided to move.
Eric stopped.
Margaret’s voice was low.
“Do not speak to her like that.”
“She stole from me.”
“She found documents and became frightened.”
“Where are they?”
“With my lawyer.”
Eric stared.
“What?”
“She has not opened them.”
“Give them back.”
“They will be returned appropriately.”
Eric took one step forward.
Margaret did not move.
Then Laura said:
“Eric, we need to leave.”
He looked at his wife.
“What?”
“I hired a lawyer.”
His face changed.
Laura’s hands trembled.
“I’m taking Sophie.”
For the first time, Eric looked genuinely frightened.
Not about Seabriar.
Not about Henry.
May you like
About losing the family he had assumed would stay while he gambled with everything around them.
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