Chapter 10 - The Brother I Knew
"That's a lie," Mom said.
She didn't raise her voice. That made it worse.
I remembered the Nico who taught me to ride a bicycle, running beside me even after I told him to let go. When Dad died, Nico was the one who fixed Mom's porch steps and brought over soup. I kept trying to find that brother inside the man at the Sunday table.
He called that night.
"Daphne says you got the sale stopped," he said.
"I did. Mom wants her house back."
"There's money we owe. If the house doesn't sell, we're finished."
"You used her house to save yourselves."
"It wasn't supposed to go this far."
"It went too far when you made her eat on the floor."
For several seconds I heard nothing but his breathing.
"Daphne didn't make that rule," he finally said.
I gripped the phone. "What?"
"Mom broke a plate. I got angry. I moved her chair into the garage and said she could eat in the kitchen until she learned to be careful. Daphne kept it going. I let her."
I looked across the room. Mom was folding a blanket, trying not to listen.
"You want me to tell you she forced you?" I asked. "I won't."
"I know."
"Then tell the court the truth."
He said he'd think about it.
"No," I said. "You don't get to think about whether Mom deserves the truth."
After the call, Mom asked, "Did he say he was sorry?"
"He said he was wrong."
"That isn't the same."
She stood slowly, crossed the room, and placed her own plate in the sink. Then she looked at me.
"I kept making excuses for him because he's my son. But I don't want you making them, too."
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A knock interrupted us. Two officers stood outside my door.
"We're here about a report that an elderly woman is being held against her will," one said.
