my granddaughter, Emily, so Susan and Kevin could work. Susan, my daughter, had pressed an envelope into my hand at the airport. "For you, Mom. Fo

ge down in the hall whe

old me about the

. Not the friendly

she gave it to me at the ai

that? You know we're saving for a hous

armth from earlier vanishe

o me. She said it was f

, Martha. A token. You weren't supposed to act

caught.

gesture?" My voice wa

afford to just hand out three thousand dollars! That's our em

y breath. "I am Sus

t grabbing cash like that. What, are you planning a

my life, my time, my own money sp

oney. If she wants it back, she can ask me herself. And y

tter have that money ready. Don't make this ugly, M

threat hun

call, my han

d Susan. It went st

y out of my voice. "Kevin just called m

ling oppressive. Three thousand dollars. Not a gift, but