« I’m not doing this for you, » Walt said with a slight smile. « I’m doing it because I like the peace and quiet here, and your family seems to be allergic to it. »
It almost made me laugh.
Rachel, however, had regained her lawyerly demeanor.
« Olivia, if they persist with their accusations, however unfounded they may be, I will help you respond. But I bet they’re too embarrassed to even try. »
I wanted to believe her.
I wanted to believe that this insane chapter of my life was coming to an end.
But deep down, I knew it was false.
My father wasn’t the type to lick his wounds and walk away.
He was the type to recharge and try again.
Two days passed before the next contact.
I was repairing a board that was coming loose in the barn when my phone vibrated.
A message from Linda, no dad, no Evan.
« Could we talk, please? It’s urgent. »
I stared at the message, unsure how to reply.
I chose not to do it.
Ten minutes later, my phone rang.
Dad’s number.
I let the message go to voicemail.
A second call, then a third.
When the fourth one arrived, I answered out of sheer exhaustion.
« Olivia, » her father said immediately, « you must cease all legal action you have initiated against us. »
« I haven’t taken any legal action, Dad. »
« Well, Sheriff Hensley has filed a complaint. »
« He filed a complaint for trespassing, » I said calmly. « Because you entered without permission. »
Dad sighed angrily.
« It’s pointless. Completely pointless. We just want to talk. »
« You wanted to talk? » I replied. « You should have called before sending a locksmith to my gate. »
« This locksmith came of his own accord, » lied Dad.
I laughed softly.
« Dad, the whole scene was filmed. »
Silence.
Then he took off.
« Very well. We made a mistake. But Evan is in a difficult situation. A very difficult situation. He needs a place and he rightly believes that this pitch should have given him a second chance. »
« And my new beginning? » I asked softly.
« Why is it that your happiness and Evans’s happiness are always something I have to sacrifice for? »
No more silence.
Then, in a voice hoarser than before, he said: « Because you know how to handle things. He doesn’t. »
Ah.
The old truth.
The unspoken rule of our family.
I was the one they could count on. Evan was the fragile one.
So it’s up to me to comply.
« Dad, » I said softly, « you raised both of us. If Evan can’t manage his life, it’s not my fault. And stealing my things isn’t a solution. »
« It wasn’t theft. It was… »
I stopped.
« And that’s still the case. »
His voice betrayed his frustration once again.
« You’re exaggerating. Families solve problems together. »
« Really? » I said, « because last time I checked, you solved the Christmas problem by excluding me. »
He inhaled sharply.
« We’ve already explained that. »
« No, » I replied. « You never explained it to me. You just hoped I’d act like nothing had happened. »
The line went silent.
When he spoke again, his voice was deeper.
« Very well, come. Let’s talk about it face to face. »
« I’m not going to drive two hours to get tricked again, » I said. « If you have something to say, say it now. »
I could almost hear him grinding his teeth.
« We want you to temporarily transfer ownership to our three names while Evan gets settled. »
A colder silence settled between us.
« No, » I replied.
Dad exploded.
« It’s selfish. It’s cruel. We’re trying to help your brother, and you’re acting like some kind of clique. »
I ended the call.
For the first time in years, I felt no guilt.
That night, the snow returned, with large flakes falling from the sky like feathers.
Sitting on the veranda, a cup of coffee in hand, wrapped in a thick blanket, I watched the silent world settle down.
The ranch seemed peaceful again, but my phone vibrated, breaking the calm.
A voicemail from Linda.
I hesitated, then I pressed play.
His voice was trembling.
“Olivia, your father isn’t telling the truth. Evan is in a much worse situation than you think. His debts, his alcoholism, the people he owes money to… They put pressure on your father. He thought that if Evan got the land, he could use it as collateral. Your father made promises he couldn’t keep. He’s ashamed, but he’s also scared.”
She sniffed.
« None of this excuses what they did. But I thought you should know that. »
I sat there motionless, my cup cooling in my hands.
Debt.
Pressure.
Collateral.
A son who drowns.
A father who makes desperate and stupid choices.
And a girl who had already spent ten years being the pillar of support for everyone.
I wasn’t angry at that moment.
I was tired.
So tired.
The next morning, I met with Walt at the station to finalize the intrusion report. He read the transcript of my recordings, highlighting certain passages.
« Your father doesn’t realize the trap he’s walking into, » he said. « If he continues like this, he’ll suffer the consequences. »
« I don’t want him to be arrested, » I said softly.
« I know, » replied Walt, « but sometimes the law is the only thing stubborn people respect. »
He signed the report and gave me a copy.
« You are safe now. They can no longer touch your land. »
But I wasn’t thinking about the land.
I was thinking back to the little boy Evan was, the one who asked me to read him stories at night. The one who made me a macaroni necklace in second grade and who said I was his best sister.
The boy who got lost along the way.
And the father, who also got lost.
« Walt, » I said softly. « If they come back, what will happen then? »
He gave me a calm and reassuring look.
« So we’ll take care of it together. »
I exhaled slowly.
The storm had not passed.
Not yet.
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