I almost didn’t answer.
I let it ring three times. Four.
Then I picked it up.
“Mom.”
His voice was strange. Tight. Like somebody was holding him by the throat.
“Are you watching the news?”
I looked down at my tea.
“I don’t have the television on, Todd.”
“Mom…”
There was a pause. I could hear a television in the background on his end. And voices. A party.
“There’s a special on CNBC,” he said. “A year-end thing. About the Meridian acquisition. They’re talking about the individual investors who had big positions before the announcement. They have names, Mom. They showed a list.”
Another pause.
“Your name is on the list.”
I didn’t say anything.
“They said a former Hargrove Financial analyst was one of the largest individual shareholders,” he went on. His voice was getting faster now. Higher. “They said your name, Mom. Theodora Wells. They put your old company photo on the screen. Stacy’s whole family saw it.”
I took a sip of my tea.
“Mom, what is going on? They said ‘significant.’ What does significant mean? How much are we talking about?”
I looked out the window at Marjorie’s blinking lights.
“Mom? Mom, please. Talk to me.”
“It means I did my job well,” I said. “Happy New Year, Todd.”
And I hung up.
I let him sit with that.
He called back seven times before 12:01 became 1:00.
I watched the phone light up on the table. Todd. Todd. Todd. Todd.
I finished my tea. I rinsed the cup. I poured the wine down the sink.
On the eighth call, I answered.
“I don’t understand,” he said. He sounded like he’d been pacing. “Why didn’t you tell us?”
“Tell you what?”
“That you were doing this! That you had… that there was… Mom, how much money are we talking about here?”
Sophia Rivers is an experienced News Content Editor with a sharp eye for detail and a passion for delivering accurate and engaging news stories. At TheArchivists, she specializes in curating, editing, and presenting news content that informs and resonates with a global audience.
Sophia holds a degree in Journalism from the University of Toronto, where she developed her skills in news reporting, media ethics, and digital journalism. Her expertise lies in identifying key stories, crafting compelling narratives, and ensuring journalistic integrity in every piece she edits.
Known for her precision and dedication to the truth, Sophia thrives in the fast-paced world of news editing. At TheArchivists, she focuses on producing high-quality news content that keeps readers informed while maintaining a balanced and insightful perspective.
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