Chapter 2: The Woman Behind the Lies
Patricia didn't leave my bedroom.
She stood near the door, her eyes fixed on the notebook.
I had never seen her look that way before.
There was no trembling.
No confusion.
No fragile old woman pretending she couldn't remember where she had placed her glasses.
There was only anger.
"Give me my property, Nia.""
I stood up.
"Your property?""
"That notebook belongs to me.""
"Then perhaps you can explain what's written inside.""
Her jaw tightened.
"Those are private thoughts.""
"Private instructions about breaking my belongings and blaming me?""
She glanced toward Maya.
"Children shouldn't be involved in adult matters.""
Maya moved closer to me.
"Grandma, why did you write those things?""
Patricia's expression changed immediately.
She softened her voice.
"Oh, sweetheart. You misunderstood.""
Maya shook her head.
"I read it.""
"You're too young to understand what you saw.""
"Then explain it.""
For several seconds, Patricia said nothing.
Then she looked at me.
"You're turning my granddaughter against me.""
I almost couldn't believe her.
"You're the one who involved her when you told her I was going to be thrown out.""
Patricia stepped forward.
"Daniel will never believe you.""
I held the notebook tighter.
"Maybe he should read it.""
She gave a short, bitter laugh.
"Daniel has spent his entire life believing me. Do you really think a few scribbled pages will change that?""
I looked at her carefully.
"Why are you doing this?""
Her expression became cold.
"Because you have forgotten your place in this family.""
Before I could answer, she reached for the notebook.
I stepped back.
"Don't touch me.""
Her hand dropped.
Then she did something unexpected.
She began crying.
Loudly.
"Help! Daniel!""
My stomach dropped.
"Patricia, stop.""
"Daniel! She's threatening me!""
Maya started crying too.
Within seconds, Daniel appeared in the doorway.
He looked from his mother to me.
"What's happening?""
Patricia rushed toward him.
"She took my diary! She grabbed me when I asked for it!""
Daniel immediately placed himself between us.
"Nia, what did you do?""
I held up the notebook.
"Read this.""
He looked at it.
Then at his mother.
"Mom, is that your notebook?""
Patricia nodded, wiping her cheeks.
"Yes. It's private. I don't know why she wants to humiliate me.""
"Then explain why you wrote these entries.""
I opened the notebook to the first incriminating page.
Daniel took it from my hands.
He read.
His eyebrows pulled together.
Monday — Break blue plate. Blame Nia.
He turned the page.
Wednesday — Hide medicine. Tell Daniel Nia forgot again.
Then another.
Friday — Break picture frame. Say I was frightened.
His face changed.
"Mom?""
Patricia immediately shook her head.
"Those are reminders. You know how forgetful I've become.""
I stared at her.
"Reminders to destroy things?""
"That's not what they mean!""
Daniel turned another page.
Then he stopped.
His eyes settled on the entry mentioning Brooke.
"What does your sister have to do with this?""
Patricia reached for the notebook.
"Give it back.""
"Mom, answer me.""
"She was helping me organize things.""
"Organize what?""
Patricia looked at me.
Then she started crying again.
"Your wife has been pressuring me to leave this house. Brooke knows how badly I've been treated.""
I shook my head.
"That is another lie.""
Daniel closed the notebook.
"Enough. Everyone needs to calm down.""
I stared at him.
"Daniel, she wrote down what she planned to do. What else do you need?""
He looked exhausted.
"I need to understand what's happening.""
"Then call Brooke.""
Patricia went completely still.
It lasted only a second.
But I noticed.
Daniel noticed too.
He pulled out his phone.
"I'm calling her.""
Patricia immediately grabbed his wrist.
"Not tonight.""
He frowned.
"Why?""
"She's busy.""
"Mom, it's eight o'clock.""
"She has her own family.""
Daniel gently removed her hand.
Then he called.
Brooke answered after two rings.
"Hey, Daniel. Everything okay?""
He put the phone on speaker.
"Mom's notebook has some strange things written in it.""
Silence.
Then Brooke laughed.
"What kind of things?""
Daniel read one of the entries aloud.
The silence returned.
Finally, Brooke said, "Oh, that.""
I felt my stomach turn.
Daniel looked up.
"What do you mean, 'that'?""
"Mom's been writing things down because her memory is getting worse. You know how she gets.""
"There's an entry saying you told her to make Nia leave.""
Another pause.
Then Brooke sighed.
"Daniel, I think you're misunderstanding.""
I stepped closer to the phone.
"Then explain it.""
Brooke's voice sharpened.
"Nia, this is a conversation between Daniel and me.""
"It's about me.""
"Not everything is about you.""
I looked at Daniel.
He was staring at the phone.
"Brooke," he said quietly, "what does the house transfer mean?""
This time, the silence lasted longer.
Then Brooke answered.
"Ask your mother.""
The call ended.
Daniel slowly lowered his phone.
Patricia looked away.
I opened the notebook again.
There were several more entries, each with dates and instructions.
But one particular page caught my attention.
Saturday — Brooke bringing papers. Make Daniel sign while Nia is distracted.
I turned it toward my husband.
"Daniel, what papers?""
He stared at the page.
"I don't know.""
Patricia suddenly reached for it.
"Those are old notes!""
I stepped back.
"Then you won't mind explaining them.""
She raised her voice.
"You're deliberately making me look crazy!""
Daniel finally spoke.
"Mom, stop.""
The room went silent.
It was the first time he had said those words to her without immediately apologizing.
Patricia looked stunned.
Then she turned toward him.
"After everything I've done for you?""
Daniel rubbed his face.
"That's not fair.""
"I raised you alone after your father died.""
"I know.""
"I sacrificed everything.""
"I know, Mom.""
"And now you stand here defending a woman who wants to throw me out?""
Daniel didn't answer.
I watched him struggle.
His mother knew exactly where to press.
She had spent years making him feel responsible for her happiness.
Every disagreement became a reminder of what she had sacrificed.
Every boundary became an accusation of betrayal.
But tonight, there was something different.
He had seen the notebook.
He couldn't pretend he hadn't.
"Mom," he said finally, "I want you to stay in your room tonight. We will talk tomorrow.""
Patricia stared at him.
Then she looked at me.
"You'll regret this.""
She walked out.
Daniel remained in the doorway.
Maya had gone quiet.
I knelt beside her.
"Are you okay?""
She nodded, although her eyes were wet.
Daniel looked at the notebook.
"Nia, can we talk downstairs?""
I nodded.
After he left, I tucked Maya into bed.
She held my hand.
"Mom?""
"Yes, sweetheart?""
"Is Grandma going to make you disappear?""
My heart broke.
I kissed her forehead.
"No one is making me disappear.""
She closed her eyes.
But I stayed beside her until she fell asleep.
Downstairs, Daniel was sitting at the kitchen table.
The broken glass had been cleaned up.
He had placed the notebook in front of him.
"There's something I need to tell you," he said.
I pulled out a chair.
"What?""
He looked uncomfortable.
"Brooke has been talking to me about the house.""
I felt my shoulders stiffen.
"What about it?""
"She said Mom might need long-term care eventually. She thought we should put the property into a family trust.""
"Without discussing it with me?""
"She said it would make things easier.""
I stared at him.
"Daniel, this is our house.""
"I know.""
"Then why were you considering signing anything?""
He looked down.
"She said it was only a preliminary document.""
"What document?""
"I don't have it.""
I leaned forward.
"Where is it?""
"Brooke brought it last week. I signed something, but I didn't read all of it.""
For a moment, I couldn't speak.
"You signed a property document without reading it?""
"I thought it was an authorization to get information.""
I pushed my chair back.
"Daniel, please tell me you didn't sign away our house.""
"I don't think I did.""
"You don't think?""
He looked genuinely frightened now.
Then his phone vibrated.
A message from Brooke appeared.
He opened it.
I watched his face drain of color.
"What?"" I asked.
He turned the screen toward me.
It was a photograph of a document.
At the bottom was his signature.
Above it was a heading:
PROPERTY TRANSFER AUTHORIZATION.
May you like
And beneath that, in smaller print, was the name of the person who would receive control of the property.
Brooke.
