Chapter 12 - Richard’s Math
I had spent fifteen years believing Richard chose Allison because she was more promising.
That was true.
It was not complete.
He chose order.
Predictability.
Status.
Allison's future fit spreadsheets.
Mine became chemotherapy cycles.
Dr. Grant told Julia he would sign declaration limited to what he personally remembered and documented.
No exaggeration.
Then Richard requested a private meeting with me.
Julia advised:
“Only if you want. With counsel present.”
I said yes.
Not because reconciliation.
I wanted to hear him answer without a phone between us.
Conference room in Richmond.
Richard entered wearing a gray suit.
Older.
Still imposing.
Linda did not come.
He looked at me for several seconds.
“You look like Dorothy.”
Linda had said same.
Maybe true.
“Sit.”
I hated that he still issued commands.
I remained standing.
He noticed.
Then sat himself.
Julia beside me.
Martin Hale beside him.
Richard said:
“I made mistakes.”
“What mistake?”
“Moving funds.”
“Why?”
“Because Allison had a narrow window.”
“And I didn’t?”
“You were thirteen.”
“So was my money.”
His jaw tightened.
Then:
“You had shown no exceptional academic interest.”
I almost smiled.
“Grandma wrote that she specifically did not want you rewarding whichever child looked promising.”
He went still.
He knew about Anne Delaney’s affidavit.
“That memorandum is sentimental.”
“It is instruction.”
“Formal trust gave discretion.”
“For my benefit.”
He leaned forward.
“Do you know what parenting two children means? Sometimes resources are unequal.”
“Yes.”
“Rachel never had two children competing.”
“Neither did you after you gave one away.”
Julia touched my wrist under table.
Not to stop.
Ground.
Richard’s face hardened.
“I did not give you away.”
“You signed.”
“Because you were attached to Rachel.”
“After ten months of you not coming.”
“You refused visits.”
“After you missed seven.”
Silence.
Then I asked:
“Why tell Allison I chose adoption?”
His eyes moved away.
“Because she was a child.”
“She was sixteen.”
“So?”
“You thought she couldn't handle truth.”
“I was protecting her.”
“From blaming you.”
He looked at me.
“Yes.”
There.
Then money.
“Why not replenish trust when bank asked?”
Richard exhaled.
“Because I had already committed funds to Allison’s school.”
“Could you afford both?”
He hesitated.
That mattered.
At time, Barrett household income was around $420,000 annually.
High.
But lifestyle expensive.
Private school.
Mortgage.
Club.
Travel.
Could they have paid every possible cancer cost? Maybe difficult.
Did they face destitution? No.
Richard admitted:
“We would have had to liquidate investments and change plans.”
Change plans.
Not destroy future.
Then:
“I thought the state would provide better medical coverage if you were placed.”
I stared.
“You used foster care as financing strategy?”
His lawyer intervened.
“Richard, do not characterize.”
Too late.
Richard corrected:
“I knew the county had resources.”
I felt sick.
Rachel had taken me into a modest townhouse while my father calculated that the state could cover what he did not want to rearrange.
Then current campaign.
“Why use me?”
Richard looked offended.
“It was your story too.”
“Not your success.”
“I am your father.”
“Biologically.”
He flinched.
Then:
“You owe me nothing?”
“No.”
“Not even acknowledging where you came from?”
“I acknowledge it every time a doctor asks family history.”
Julia almost coughed to hide a laugh.
Richard did not.
Then he said:
“If Rachel had not stepped in, you would have come home eventually.”
No.
Court records disproved.
But belief mattered.
He had convinced himself Rachel took opportunity away.
So I asked:
“Did you ever intend to complete reunification plan?”
He paused.
Then:
“At first.”
“When did you stop?”
“After you responded well to treatment.”
That made no sense.
“Why then?”
“Because you were stable with Rachel.”
There.
He waited until I was safe elsewhere.
Then chose convenience.
Not before.
Not a single impulsive abandonment.
A series of choices.
Then mediator discussion resumed informally.
Richard offered $180,000 personally.
Exactly number he once called Allison’s future.
I almost accepted because symbolism was tempting.
Julia warned:
“Do not negotiate with symbolism.”
Correct.
We rejected.
Then Richard stood.
“Hannah, money will not give you childhood back.”
“No.”
“Then what are you doing?”
I looked at him.
“Making sure you don’t keep what was mine just because enough time passed.”
He stared.
Then left.
On the conference table, his lawyer accidentally? No, not accidental twist. Better after meeting Julia gets email from bank.
Dominion Atlantic had found one more document.
A replacement-custodian form Dorothy signed before death.
If Richard ever used one granddaughter’s funds for the other, custody of both accounts was to transfer automatically to the bank.
It had never been implemented because the triggering transaction was misclassified.
May you like
The bank’s liability just became much clearer.
And Richard’s defense that Dorothy gave him broad discretion became much weaker.
