He was Theodore Sloan, the lawyer Walter had trusted his whole life, and he set his folder on the table right next to Bianca’s. She stood so fast her chair scraped the floor. Kevin finally looked at me, and his face had gone the color of the butter dish. “Mother G,” Bianca started, “who is this?” I poured Theodore a cup of the good coffee and answered for him. “This is the man who handled every document Walter and I ever signed. I thought, since we’re all signing papers this morning, we might as well do it properly.” Theodore smiled and opened his own folder, slow and unbothered.

Bianca reached for her folder, but Theodore’s hand was already resting on top of it. “Before anyone signs anything,” he said pleasantly, “I’d like to read this aloud. All of it. Line by line. Mrs. Gloria likes to understand what she puts her name to.” Bianca’s mouth opened and closed. Kevin whispered that maybe this wasn’t the right time. But I had waited nineteen minutes at this table with cold tea to hear the truth, and I was not about to let them leave before it was spoken out loud.