Chapter 3: The Second Envelope
My aunt Denise placed the second envelope on the table without looking at me.
For thirty years, I had known that woman as the person who showed up when everybody else disappeared.
She was the one who brought groceries when my mother couldn't afford them, who sat beside me during my first heartbreak, who helped me choose my wedding dress, and who cried harder than anyone when I walked down the aisle.
Now she stood beneath the restaurant's bright lights with both hands resting on the back of her chair, looking at the envelope as though it might burn her.
I couldn't move.
"Aunt Denise," I said, "why do you have that?""
She looked up.
Her eyes were already wet.
"I was hoping you wouldn't have to find out like this.""
Megan made a sharp, impatient sound.
"Denise, please. You're not helping.""
My aunt turned toward her.
"Don't you dare tell me what helps this family.""
The force in her voice startled everyone, including me.
Megan's mouth tightened.
"You said you understood.""
"I said I understood what you told me," Denise replied.
"That's not the same as agreeing with what you're doing.""
Daniel dragged a hand over his face.
"Can we please take this somewhere private?""
"No," I said.
He looked at me.
I held the first envelope against my chest, keeping my fingers away from its sealed flap.
"Seven years of marriage, and apparently everybody knows something about my life that I don't. I'm done being the last person in the room to understand what's happening to me.""
Marcus pulled out a chair beside me.
"Sit down, Nia. Nobody's rushing you anywhere.""
I sat, though my knees felt strangely unsteady.
The stranger from the neighboring table remained standing near the end of ours.
"My name is Renee," she said gently.
"I don't know your family, and I don't know what's inside those envelopes. But I heard enough to know somebody wanted you distressed before you made a decision.""
"Thank you, Renee," I whispered.
Megan scoffed.
"Wonderful. Now we have an audience participation segment.""
Renee turned toward her.
"You had an audience before I spoke. You were counting on it.""
For once, Megan had no immediate reply.
Denise pulled out her chair but didn't sit.
"Nia, I need you to know that I never wanted to hurt you.""
"Then tell me what's happening.""
She looked at Daniel.
He stared at the table.
"Daniel," Denise said, "you should tell her.""
He shook his head.
"Not here.""
My aunt's expression changed.
"After everything you've said to me, you're still going to hide behind that excuse?""
I turned toward her.
"Everything he's said to you?""
Denise closed her eyes briefly.
When she opened them, she looked older than she had an hour earlier.
"He came to see me last week," she said.
"He told me there was a serious problem in your marriage. He said you two had been arguing about money and that you were considering making a decision you might regret.""
I stared at Daniel.
"What decision?""
He pressed his lips together.
"I told her I was worried about you," he said.
"That isn't what she said.""
Denise continued before he could interrupt.
"He asked me whether you would listen to me if I told you to slow down. He said he wanted to prevent things from getting ugly.""
"What things?""
"I don't know," she admitted.
"Not all of it.""
Megan abruptly picked up her champagne glass again.
"Can we stop pretending Daniel is some kind of villain? He was trying to protect everyone involved.""
"Everyone except me," I said.
She set the glass down.
"You don't know what you're talking about.""
"Then tell me.""
Megan stared at me.
For several seconds, the only sound at our table was the soft clink of silverware from another part of the restaurant.
Then she leaned forward.
"Fine. You want the truth? Daniel came to me because he couldn't talk to you without you turning everything into an argument.
He was overwhelmed. He was scared. He needed someone who could help him think clearly.""
"So you decided to sit on his lap at my birthday dinner?""
"I decided you needed to see that your marriage wasn't as perfect as you pretend it is.""
The words struck a nerve, but I refused to let her see it.
"My marriage has never been perfect. I never claimed it was. But I trusted you enough to tell you when things were difficult.""
"And I listened," Megan snapped.
"I listened to you complain about him. I listened to you talk about how much you sacrificed. I watched you make every decision in that house, and I watched him disappear into the background.""
Daniel finally looked up.
"That's enough, Megan.""
She rounded on him.
"Now you want to defend her?""
"No. I want you to stop making this about something it isn't.""
Megan laughed without humor.
"Then explain tomorrow.""
The words fell between them like a dropped glass.
I looked from one to the other.
"What happens tomorrow?""
Daniel stood abruptly.
His chair struck the floor behind him.
"Nothing happens tomorrow. I promise you.""
Renee's eyebrows lifted.
"That sounds like a promise you can't afford to make.""
He glared at her.
"You don't know anything about this.""
"You're right," Renee said.
"But I know what panic looks like, and right now you're more frightened of that envelope than you are of losing your wife.""
Daniel went silent.
I turned back to Denise.
"Please. Just tell me what you know.""
My aunt finally sat down.
She placed her hands in her lap and stared at the tablecloth.
"When Daniel came to see me, he said you might be asked to make an important decision soon. He said you would need time to think, and he wanted the family to support whatever you chose.""
"That sounds reasonable," I said.
"So why does everybody look terrified?""
"Because I made a mistake," Denise whispered.
Megan shut her eyes.
Daniel muttered something under his breath.
I leaned toward my aunt.
"What mistake?""
She reached into her purse and removed a folded piece of paper.
"I believed Daniel when he told me you were already aware of the situation. I agreed to be available tomorrow because he said you might need someone you trusted.""
My throat tightened.
"You agreed to what?""
"To be there if you needed me.""
"Where?""
Denise hesitated.
Megan suddenly grabbed the second envelope from the table.
"That's enough. This is private family business.""
Marcus caught the edge of the envelope before she could pull it away.
"Then stop dragging my sister into it without telling her what it is.""
Megan yanked her hand back.
"Let go.""
Marcus released the paper, but his expression remained hard.
I stood again.
"Nobody is leaving until someone answers me.""
Daniel stared at me, his eyes shining with a desperation I'd never seen before.
"Nia, I love you.""
I almost laughed.
"You don't get to use those words as a substitute for the truth.""
He swallowed.
"Tomorrow was supposed to be a conversation.""
"About what?""
His eyes moved toward Megan.
She looked at him with open warning.
Then Denise unfolded the paper she'd removed from her purse.
Her fingers trembled as she slid it across the table toward me.
It contained only a short handwritten message.
If Nia refuses, do not let her leave without speaking to me first.
Beneath it was a name.
Not Daniel's.
Not Megan's.
A name I hadn't heard in years, belonging to someone who had no reason to be involved in my marriage.
I read it once.
Then again.
My mouth went dry.
"Aunt Denise," I whispered, "why is my mother's name on this?""
Denise looked up at me, tears slipping down her cheeks.
"Because, sweetheart," she said, "your mother called me yesterday.""
May you like
She reached for my hand.
"And she told me that if Daniel tried to make you sign anything tomorrow, I had to stop him before it was too late.""
