He let Sherry cry for a while. Then he said, “Teresa. Come here and sit down.”
I pulled the other chair up right next to Sherry’s. Daddy looked from one of us to the other.
“Here is how this is going to go,” he said. “And I don’t want one word of argument from either one of you. I’m 84 years old, and I’ve earned the right to say a thing once and be done.”
We both nodded.
“Bobby’s mailing the rent to me from now on. I told him that yesterday. It comes here, to me, in room fourteen. And I’ll sign it over to this place myself. That ought to cover what my checks don’t, near enough.”
He turned to me.
“Teresa, you’re done paying. Not one more dollar out of your pocket for me. You hear?”
“Daddy, I don’t mind.”
“I mind,” he said. “That’s the end of that.”
Then he turned to Sherry.
“Sherry, you’ll keep my power of attorney for now. Because if I have a stroke, somebody’s got to have it, and you live close. But you will not write one check on my account again unless I’ve seen it with my own eyes first.”
He turned back to me.
“And Teresa, you’re going to come by here on the first of every month and go over my bank statement with me. Line by line. Both of you are going to have the password to look at my account on the computer. And we’re going to the bank next week, all three of us, and having the Farmers National people put both your names on as people who can see the statements. No more secrets in this family. Not one.”
Sherry nodded. “Yes, Daddy.”
“Now. The money,” Daddy said. “The rent you took. I’m not going to ask for it back.”
Sherry looked up, startled.
“It went to keep Roger alive,” Daddy said. “I’d have given it to him. So I’m giving it to him now. That’s done.”
He held up one finger before she could speak.
“But your sister paid my bill for three years while that money was in your hands. The way I see it, that’s her money you spent. Hers and Doug’s. So you’ll pay her back. Every dollar. As you’re able. But every dollar.”
“I will,” Sherry whispered. “I will, Daddy.”
“I’ll tell you what you’ll pay,” Daddy said. “Five hundred a month. You’ll start the first of December. And if Roger takes a bad turn and you can’t make it one month, you come tell me. Don’t you ever hide a thing from me again. You come sit right in that chair and tell me to my face.”
Lila Hart is a dedicated Digital Archivist and Research Specialist with a keen eye for preserving and curating meaningful content. At TheArchivists, she specializes in organizing and managing digital archives, ensuring that valuable stories and historical moments are accessible for generations to come.
Lila earned her degree in History and Archival Studies from the University of Edinburgh, where she cultivated her passion for documenting the past and preserving cultural heritage. Her expertise lies in combining traditional archival techniques with modern digital tools, allowing her to create comprehensive and engaging collections that resonate with audiences worldwide.
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