His voice broke.
“And after the way I acted, I’m surprised he left me anything.”
Justine stared at him with disgust.
“Oh, please.
Don’t suddenly become noble because your sister got the better prize.”
Kyle flinched.
That was the moment I understood how they had drawn him in.
They had made him feel useful.
Informed.
Included.
And the instant he stopped serving their purpose, Justine turned on him.
Keith gathered his papers.
“This isn’t over.”
Brenda folded her hands.
“You are entitled to obtain independent counsel.
They will explain the same facts I have explained today.”
He glared at me.
“You think Dad wanted you rattling around in that huge house alone?”
I stood.
“No.
I think Dad wanted me to decide what happened to the home he built instead of letting you decide for me.”
Justine picked up her notebook.
For once, she had no clever answer.
She simply walked out.
Keith followed.
Through the glass wall of the conference room, I watched them argue before they even reached the elevator.
Kyle remained seated.
“I’m sorry,” he said.
I looked at him.
He seemed younger suddenly.
Not innocent.
Just small.
“You told them about Dad.”
“I told them things I shouldn’t have.”
“Why?”
Kyle rubbed both hands over his face.
“Keith kept saying you were trying to take control.
He said Dad might leave everything to you and that I needed to protect myself.
Then Justine started asking questions.
At first they seemed harmless.”
“And when they stopped being harmless?”
He lowered his eyes.
“I was already embarrassed that I’d told them so much.
So I kept pretending it wasn’t serious.”
I thought of Dad’s letter.
Do not confuse weakness with hatred.
But do not ignore what weakness can cost.
“I can forgive you someday,” I said.
“But I can’t pretend nothing happened.”
Kyle nodded.
“I know.”
It was the first honest conversation we had shared in months.
Keith did consult an attorney.
So did Justine.
But no lawsuit ever reached a courtroom.
The recorded property transfer, medical evaluations, independent witnesses and Dad’s video statement left very little room for the story they had hoped to tell.
