I hadn’t realized comfortable meant five million dollars.
Then Patricia said, “When we’re both gone, everything will be divided equally between Susan and Rebecca. The house too.”
For a moment, nobody said anything.
I looked at Mark.
He sat beside me, one hand around his water glass. He didn’t move, although I saw his thumb press harder against the glass.
Rebecca, Mark’s younger sister, finally asked the obvious question.
“Wait. What about Mark?”
Patricia looked genuinely surprised.
“Mark doesn’t need an inheritance.”
She sounded proud of the decision, which made it worse.
“Mark and Claire both have good jobs,” she continued. “They own their home. They’ve always taken care of themselves.”
Richard nodded. “Your sisters could use the security more than you could, son.”
Susan went completely still.
Rebecca looked uncomfortable enough that I almost felt sorry for her, even though none of this was her fault.
