Julián continued.
— I paid Teresa’s outstanding debt on the house because I wanted Mateo to have something nobody could take away from him.
Teresa agreed to transfer the property for his benefit.
Clara will manage it while he’s a child.
The camera shifted.
My mother was sitting beside him.
Present.
Listening.
Alive with the same expression she wore now.
Julián looked at her on the recording.
— Teresa, say clearly that you understand.
My mother’s recorded voice answered.
— I understand.
— And Clara and Mateo will always have a home here?
A pause.
Then:
— Yes.
Valeria made a sound beside me.
I looked at her.
On the video, she walked briefly through the background carrying baby Mateo.
She stopped when she noticed the camera.
— Are you still doing paperwork about the house? — her younger self asked.
Julián answered:
— Finished now.
One day this will all be Mateo’s responsibility.
Valeria on the video laughed.
— Lucky kid.
The file ended.
Nobody spoke.
Valeria sank into a chair.
— Mom…
My mother stared at the blank laptop screen.
Valeria’s eyes filled with something between fury and disbelief.
— You told me Julián had only lent you money.
My mother finally looked at her.
— I told you what you needed to know.
— You let me call Clara a parasite in this house.
— Valeria—
— You let me say it in front of Mateo.
My mother struck the table with her palm.
— Because after Julián died, someone had to keep this family together!
The officer immediately glanced toward the sleeping child.
My mother lowered her voice but not her anger.
— Clara didn’t know anything about property.
She was grieving.
She had a baby.
I managed the house.
I paid bills.
I made decisions.
I almost laughed.
Not because anything was funny.
Because she had forgotten who had been paying those bills for the last several years.
I reached into my bag and pulled out the folder where I kept receipts from my salon income.
— You mean the electricity I paid?
She said nothing.
— The groceries I paid for?
