Chapter 13 - The Conversation Across the Table
The lunch was remarkably ordinary, which made it extraordinary.
We talked about real estate trends, the rising cost of municipal bonds, a mystery novel Madison had recently finished reading, and how my firm was handling a massive cross-border merger in Singapore. There were no loaded questions, no subtle comparisons, and absolutely no references to cars, mugs, or past ledgers.
Midway through the meal, my father set down his fork and looked across the table, catching my eye.
"Your mother and I went to the bank last week, Caroline," he said quietly, the table instantly growing still.
I didn't tense up. I simply took a sip of water and met his gaze. "Oh? Everything in order?"
"Yes," Robert nodded slowly. "We updated our wills. For the first time in our lives, we split everything down the exact middle. Fifty-fifty. No conditional trusts, no emergency clauses, no exceptions for bad behavior. What belongs to me and your mother will be divided equally between you and your sister when the time comes."
Madison didn't flinch. She nodded in quiet agreement, passing the bowl of potatoes to my mother without a hint of jealousy or entitlement. "It’s about time, Dad. Honestly, if you left me more than Caroline, I’d probably lose my mind trying to manage it anyway."
A genuine laugh escaped my throat—a clean, unburdened sound that bounced off the walls of the modest dining room.
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"I appreciate that, Robert," I said, using his first name with a warm, teasing undertone that signaled affection rather than distance. "Though you don't need to worry about my retirement fund. I'm building my own empire."
My mother smiled softly, reaching across the table to cover my hand with hers for a brief, fleeting second. "We know you are, honey. We know you are."
