Sarah found me inside a supply closet folding towels.
“Management wants to meet with you on Wednesday,” she said. “Formal inquiry.”
“I expected that.”
“You need a plan.”
“I’m giving everything back.”
She stared at me.
“Whatever Gloria left,” I continued. “Marcus can have it.”
“That’s exactly what he wants.”
“He’s family.”
“You were her family.”
“He’s blood.”
“So what?”
I kept folding towels.
“I don’t want anyone believing I married her for money.”
That night, I sat on my bed with the canvas bag in front of me.
I still had not opened it.
The zipper seemed to accuse me.
As though the moment I looked inside, I would become exactly what Marcus had called me.
Then my phone rang.
It was Mr. Charleston.
“Daniel, I didn’t get to finish speaking at the funeral.”
“What were you going to say?”
“Gloria expected Marcus to appear.”
I looked at the bag.
“She planned for everything,” he said. “Please open it before you make any decisions.”
“Planned for what?”
“You’ll understand when you read the letter.”