Chapter 17 - What Tomas Wanted
Tomas’s confession clarified motive without simplifying.
He was afraid Robert would expose forged home equity loan.
He believed a criminal complaint would end marriage, job prospects, and access to children.
He believed Robert had manipulated me into leaving.
He wanted Monday meeting stopped.
He used medication recklessly and intentionally, telling himself Robert would become ill, not die.
Could be self-serving.
Jury found malicious murder, not premeditation.
Then Robert died.
Tomas panicked.
He told investigators Robert took medication voluntarily.
Then trust.
He learned he had been removed.
He felt betrayed.
He expected Helen to inherit outright or at least control.
Instead professional trustee.
Then marriage worsened.
His financial schemes continued.
He blamed Robert.
Then affair.
Adriana offered escape.
He left.
Years abroad.
He occasionally checked trust status through public/old documents.
At sixty birthday approaching, he saw chance.
Not to inherit directly.
To convince children their mother stole.
Then persuade them to transfer part to his “recovery fund.”
He expected maybe $600,000.
Enough to pay debt and finance retirement property.
He also wanted family reunion on his terms.
Control + money.
Then I asked Laura:
“Could he ever have successfully taken their distributions if they signed?”
“They could voluntarily invest or transfer. Contract may be challengeable for fraud, but recovery uncertain.”
So danger real.
Then my children’s independent counsel reviewed.
No signatures.
No transfer.
No loss.
Then criminal fraud restitution modest.
Good.
Then Tomas’s confession did not reopen sentence because final? Could maybe impact prison classification, but no new charges necessary; prosecutors had conviction. Fine.
Then he wrote children separately.
I did not read unless they showed.
Sarah did.
He apologized.
She wrote:
I forgive you for abandoning us. I do not want contact now.
Tomas stopped.
Grace did not reply.
Noah did not open.
Ethan kept one year, then read.
Michael corresponded.
That surprised.
Once every few months.
Not because forgiving murder.
Because he wanted understand father before death.
I did not interfere.
Then Michael told:
“He doesn’t ask money anymore.”
“He can’t.”
“Still.”
Then:
“He says prison is boring.”
“Good.”
We laughed.
Then Tomas asked Michael about grandchildren.
Michael sent no photos.
Boundary.
Then Claire sent one card at Christmas with no return address? Prison knows. Better she sent through approved portal: “I hope you use time honestly.” No more.
Each child different.
Then I finally asked myself:
Do I forgive?
At sixty four:
No.
At sixty five:
Still no.
Not because I woke angry.
Because word felt unnecessary.
Then Robert’s birthday came.
I baked apple pie? That was Sarah's favorite. Robert loved lemon bars maybe. Let's set Robert loved black coffee and pecan pie. I bought one slice of pecan pie and ate.
No ritual.
Then I donated $25,000 from my trust share to legal aid financial abuse program.
Not in Robert’s name.
I did not want turn crime into brand.
Then one afternoon Samuel Ortiz retired.
At lunch he said:
“Robert would be pleased trust worked.”
I answered:
“It also kept me poor longer than necessary.”
He laughed.
“Fair.”
Then:
“Did you ever request distribution we denied?”
“Yes.”
Tomas wanted $150k for business.
Trustee denied.
That probably prevented loss.
Then:
“Did we deny anything you needed?”
Maybe.
I once wanted help with home addition, they said not necessary support.
Could have made life easier.
Protection has tradeoffs.
I said:
“I’m grateful and annoyed.”
Samuel:
“That is healthy view of trusts.”
Then my own estate did not use same restrictions excessively.
Each adult child would receive outright unless specific need.
No controlling from grave.
Robert’s caution should not become template.
Then I turned sixty six.
Birthday dinner.
All six came.
Not because I demanded.
Sarah organized.
Seven places.
When I saw, panic.
Claire noticed.
“Mom?”
“I’m fine.”
She started to remove place settings.
“No.”
I sat.
Dinner was loud.
Exactly what Tomas once said he wanted.
But he was not there.
And for first time I understood a loud table is not proof family is healthy.
May you like
The important part was that anyone could leave.
Nobody had to stay to prove love.
