“My son handed me a cup of tea. But the day before, I found out he had taken out a huge life insurance policy with me as the insured. I stayed calm, pretended to take a sip, and poured some of the tea into a small vial. What I found inside…”
“I made it special for your nerves, Ma,” Evan said, setting the cup down in front of me like it was peace after battle.
His smile didn’t reach his eyes. Those were James’s eyes—his daddy’s—but they’d gone hard and flat years ago.
I didn’t sip. Not right away. Just yesterday, I’d found that envelope wedged between the electric bill and a feed catalog. A life insurance policy, brand new. My name at the top, Evan’s name at the bottom. Sole beneficiary.
