Chapter 5: My Mother's Sister
We called Diane from the kitchen. My father put the phone on speaker on the island, the same spot where the ice bag had melted the night before. The deed copies were stacked next to a plate of toast neither of us had eaten.
She picked up on the third ring. "Brandon?"
"Diane, it's both of us," my father said. "Maya's here."
There was a pause, then a softer voice. "Maya honey? I've been thinking about you."
Hearing her, my eyes stung before I could stop it. Diane had my mother's laugh, the same way of saying honey.
"Do you remember the envelope Mom left?" I asked. "For Maya - house papers? In my handbag?"
"Oh," Diane said, exhaling. "She told me she was going to do that. After the second round of chemo she had me drive her to the lawyer in town. She was so steady about it. She said, I don't want Maya to ever be told she doesn't belong in that house. She wanted you added to the deed. She signed everything."
My father closed his eyes. "We never recorded it, Diane. I found the copy last night but the clerk said it's not on file."
"I know," Diane said, and I could hear her moving, a chair creaking. "The lawyer sent it to your house for both of you to sign and get notarized. Laura was too sick that week, and then... I think it just got put in a drawer. Brandon, she kept that beige handbag by her bed. She said if anything happened, Maya would have it and at least have the letter."
I pressed my palm flat on the cool quartz of the island to steady myself. "Kelly told me to get out," I said, quiet but clear. "She said now it's her house. That I don't belong there anymore."
The line went silent for a beat. Diane's voice came back tight. "That is not her house. Maya, that house was my parents'. Your grandfather built that fireplace with his own hands. Your mom grew up there."
"I know," I whispered. "I said that. I said this was my mother's home."
My father looked at me then, really looked, and his jaw tightened the way it had at the bottom of the stairs.
"Diane, can you come?" he asked. "Not to move in, just... Maya needs to hear this from someone besides me. And I need to know what you remember about what Laura wanted."
"I can be there tomorrow afternoon," Diane said immediately. "I still have the lawyer's card. I'll bring it. Maya, you keep that bag safe, okay? Keep it with you."
After we hung up, the house felt less empty. My father finally ate a piece of toast, and I did too, the butter salty. He said he had to go return a work call upstairs, and I stayed in the living room, looking at the stone fireplace, trying to picture my grandfather laying each stone.
I heard tires on the driveway before I saw the car. Not Diane's old Subaru. A dark sedan I recognized.
The front door opened with a key. Kelly was back, carrying her purse and a paper grocery bag, her short black bob neat, her dark teal blouse replaced by a cream sweater. She stopped when she saw me.
"Maya," she said, surprised, then quickly smoothing her face into something softer. "I didn't think you'd be home. Your father asked me to give you space last night so I stayed at my sister's."
My father came down halfway, his hand on the black metal railing. He stopped there, above us both.
"Kelly," he said. "We didn't expect you until tonight."
May you like
She looked up at him, then at me, holding the grocery bag like an offering. "I brought food. I thought we could talk. Properly this time."
I held the strap of my handbag, which I had kept looped over the arm of the couch. My chest tightened, but my voice didn't shake the way it had yesterday against the door.
