The Papers They Thought Would Break Me

She looked at the papers in my hand.

“About the loan.”

Susan moved toward the doorway.

“Jessica, perhaps we should call an attorney before—”

“Yes,” I said.

“We should.”

I took out my phone and photographed every page in the tin.

Then I photographed the envelopes, the bank notice, and the document bearing my signature.

I sent copies to myself and forwarded them to a new email account I created while standing in the workshop.

Dad watched me.

“What are you doing?”

“Making sure these documents don’t disappear.”

Jessica winced.

“I’m not accusing you of destroying anything,” I said.

“But from now on, every paper gets copied before anyone touches it.”

“I understand.”

The words were quiet, but they carried something different from her earlier pleas.

She wasn’t trying to persuade me anymore.

She looked frightened, but not only for herself.

I called the attorney whose name appeared on the letter.

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