Chapter 12 - Daniel's Watch
Harrison sat down.
Slowly.
Like his knees had stopped working.
Sloan folded her arms.
"Go ahead," she said. "Be honest. That's what everyone wants now, right?"
I looked at Harrison.
"What money?"
He stared at the floor.
"Dad's watch."
For a moment I did not understand.
Then I did.
Daniel's retirement watch had been a gold Omega his company gave him after thirty years. It was not flashy, but he loved it because the engraving on the back included his start date.
After he died, I kept it in the safe.
"What about it?"
Harrison's eyes filled.
"I sold it."
I stopped breathing.
"When?"
"Six months ago."
I walked to the office safe.
The box was still there.
Inside was a watch.
For one second relief hit me.
Then I lifted it.
Too light.
A replica.
I turned it over.
No engraving.
My hand began to shake.
Harrison followed me into the office.
"Mom, I'm sorry."
I turned around.
"How much?"
"Twelve thousand."
"Where did it go?"
He looked toward the hallway.
Sloan was no longer there.
"She said we were going to lose the car."
I laughed so hard it almost became a sob.
"So you sold your father's watch to save a car?"
"I thought I'd buy it back."
"With what?"
He had no answer.
I sat in Daniel's chair and held the fake watch in my palm.
That hurt more than the bank account.
Money could be rebuilt.
Daniel's watch had been touched by his hands every day for fifteen years.
Harrison knelt beside me.
"I can find the buyer."
"You will."
He nodded quickly.
"And you're leaving."
He froze.
"Mom—"
"You too."
His face broke.
I loved him.
That did not change.
But love was no longer going to be used as a key to my house, my accounts, or my memory of Daniel.
Then Harrison looked toward the front window.
"Where's Sloan's car?"
We both ran outside.
May you like
It was gone.
So was the white envelope of copied documents.
