The first message was from Mom: “Lena, please call. Sabrina was joking.” The second came from Dad: “We know you were here.” Apparently, Aunt Coralie had noticed wet footprints near the mudroom and remembered seeing wrapped presents beside the door before they disappeared. By morning, everyone understood exactly what I had overheard. Sabrina’s message was different. She apologized, then added, “You know I’d never actually want anything to happen to you.” What she never addressed was the part about expecting my money. That mattered because I had quietly been paying several family expenses for years—part of my parents’ mortgage, Sabrina’s phone bill, and more emergencies than I could count.
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