My mother opened with, “This has gone far enough.”
Maya looked at her. “Agreed.”
That startled her.
Maya continued. “Your family has thirty days from notice. We are here to discuss logistics, not negotiate Julia’s boundaries.”
Brent snorted. “Boundaries. That’s what we’re calling blackmail now?”
Maya turned one page.
“Mr. Callahan, would you prefer we begin with the attempted loan application?”
Brent went still.
My mother said, “We are not here to attack Brent.”
“I am,” my father said.
Everyone turned.
His voice was quiet, but it carried.
“I am here to ask my son why my name is on documents I didn’t sign.”
Brent’s face changed from anger to performance.
“Dad, I was trying to keep options open.”
“Did you sign my name?”
“Don’t do this in front of them.”
“Did you?”
My mother reached for my father’s arm. “David, please.”
He pulled away.
