He froze with his fingers still in the jar.
“My sister.”
My chest went tight. I pulled him close.
“Eli, I know you miss her. But we can’t get her back. She’s gone.”
He pulled away and stared at me.
“No, Mom.”
Something in his voice made my skin crawl.
“If I save enough, we can get her back.”
“Honey, people don’t work like that.”
And he said:
“Then why did Daddy use money?”
I froze.
“What?”
Eli glanced at the hallway first, like he was scared his father might hear.
“The night you were asleep at the hospital. Grandma went downstairs for coffee, and I went to find Dad.”
He lowered his voice.
“He was by the elevators talking to a lady. He gave her a big envelope. A thick one.”
“Eli…”
“After Daddy gave her the money, she took the bundle away.”
I stared at him.
