Chapter 6 - The Family MeetingThe next Sunday, everyone gathered at Walter's house.
Mindy arrived furious.
Lance looked nervous.
Shirley refused to look at me.
Courtney sat beside her mother.
Walter stood at the head of the table.
“This ends today.”
Mindy laughed.
“Dad, what are you talking about?”
“I know everything.”
Lance stood.
“Dad…”
“Sit down.”
Lance sat.
Walter placed the financial records on the table.
“You stole from Brandon.”
Mindy began crying.
“I borrowed.”
“You lied.”
She looked at Courtney.
“Tell him.”
Courtney remained silent.
Walter continued.
“You manipulated my daughter.”
Shirley interrupted.
“Enough.”
“No.”
Walter's voice became stronger.
“I have spent seventy years believing family means protecting your children.”
He looked around.
“I finally understand that protecting wrongdoing isn't love.”
Then he turned to Courtney.
“You have a decision.”
She looked at him.
“What decision?”
“Your husband or your family.”
She began crying.
“That isn't fair.”
Walter shook his head.
“It is.”
Courtney looked at me.
I said nothing.
Finally, she stood.
“I choose Brandon.”
Mindy shouted,
“After everything he did?”
Courtney looked at her.
“He didn't do anything.”
She wiped her tears.
“I did.”
The room went silent.
“I let you disrespect him.”
She looked at her mother.
“I let you disrespect our children.”
Then she looked at me.
“And I betrayed the man who trusted me.”
I didn't forgive her.
May you like
Not yet.
But for the first time, she was finally telling the truth.
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