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He’s got his journalist eyes on, hunting for a story, trying to figure this out.
“Hallie, Hayden, this is Christina,” Mom says. “Christina…”
“Hello,” the lady says, climbing to her feet and stepping forward with some tightness in her expression. “Thanks so much for agreeing to meet with me.”
“I’m sorry,” Hayden mutters. “But I’m not entirely sure why we’re here.”
Mom winces. “Yes, well…I didn’t want to tell them anything over the phone.”
“Thank you,” Christina says, eyes flitting to the floor.
“Why don’t we all sit down?” Mom says. “Then I can explain.”
We all gather around the small table. The room smells of laundry detergent, with a layer of dust beneath it.
Christina squeezes her hands together, looking at mom, seeming to find it difficult to make eye contact with anybody else.
“Shall I explain?” Mom asks.
“Would you?” Christina says, seeming keen.
Mom nods, turning to us. She seems more relaxed now we’re in here, as though the difficult part has been done.
And, miraculously, she’s not shouting at me and Hayden about our relationship.
She doesn’t know.
I see it now.
This is something else.
My body shimmers, and my core sings out in ready joy.
We can still do it, be a family and share everything we discussed.
And then, like a gunshot, the truth slams into me.
Okay, fine, mom doesn’t know.
That doesn’t fix the dad problem, does it?
“Christina’s husband is a congressman involved in establishing government-backed children’s homes, but a couple of weeks ago, Christina found some evidence in his office that he’s been embezzling money from the scheme.”
“Why were you in his office?” I ask.
Christina bites down, her gaze flashing to me, then the floor. “I think he’s having another affair. I didn’t expect to find that….”
“What did you find, exactly?” Hayden asks, his voice soft.
“Bank statements, payments, all in line with the big stages for the most current children’s home. It’s like clockwork. The next stage starts, and suddenly, he’s got all this extra cash. I can’t take it anymore, being married to him.”
She trails off, shaking her head.
“I want him to pay for this. It’s evil. It’s even worse than the cheating. He’s stealing money from orphans. Who did I even marry? He’s like a stranger.”
“So you want me to look into it?” Hayden says.
“Yes,” Mom replies fiercely. “That’s why you’re here.”
There’s a short pause, no longer than a breath, but I can feel Hayden’s relief swelling up in time with mine, both of us wanting to cheer, sing, and dance around like fools.
“It will be a big story,” Christina says. “I’m sure of it. My husband’s managed to hide everything else, all the cheating and the lies, but I won’t let him do this. Not to those kids. It isn’t fair.”
“It’s wrong,” Hayden agrees. “But I’ll need to take a look at those documents first. I need to see exactly what I’m dealing with.”
Christina nods eagerly. “I’ve made copies. I can show you.”
Hayden nods.
“Why am I here?” I ask mom. “I’m not a journalist.”
“You’re a video editor,” Christina cuts in, seeming to get more confident by the second, or at least less terrified. “I’ve been recording him for a couple of weeks, trying to get him to slip up. I’ve got a few near hits…but nothing close. But when I get some footage….”
I nod, feeling a little numb.
A dark feeling touches me as I think about Christina spying on her husband. It’s not her fault. He’s the one who led her down this path. But the whole thing is sad, a marriage existing like this, with secrets and hidden agendas, never truly knowing the other person.
Never, I promise myself, glancing at Hayden.
If we get married, it will never be like that. I won’t let it.
We won’t let it.
“I can’t go to anybody else,” Christina says. “I only agreed to this because I’ve known your mother for years. She’s always been so easy to talk to, so trustworthy.”
I beam with pride. That sounds exactly like mom.
“So you want me to edit the footage?” I ask.
“Yes,” Mom and Christina say at the same time.
Considering I thought I was walking into an ambush, editing a video – even if it’s one with high stakes – has me almost grinning.
I would be smiling, despite the dad situation, if Christina didn’t look so distraught.
“I’ll do it,” I say.
“As long as the story checks out,” Hayden adds, then winces when mom gives him a look.
It’s a look that says, Why are you speaking for my daughter?
I want to scream Because I’m his, and he’s mine.
“I don’t mean any disrespect, Christina,” Hayden says. “But skepticism is part of my job. Personally, I believe you, but I’ll need to see the evidence.”
“You’ll have it,” Mom says.
“Thank you so much for meeting with me,” Christina says, rising to her feet. “I have to go now. My security will be going crazy in the waiting room.”
Suddenly it makes sense, mom’s urgency. Christina has guards waiting for her. This means mom and Christina must’ve arranged an appointment, sneaked out the back, then came over here.
