Chapter 5: The Guardian Nobody Chose
"Call Samir.""
My father didn't raise his voice.
He didn't need to.
Tiffany stood motionless beside the couch, her phone clutched in her hand.
"There's no reason to involve your brother.""
Dad looked at her.
"His name is on a legal document concerning my daughter. I think that gives me a reason.""
"He was only helping.""
"Helping with what?""
Tiffany rubbed her forehead.
"Khalil, please. We can discuss this after everyone calms down.""
"No. We're discussing it now.""
He called his brother.
The phone rang twice.
Then Samir answered.
"Hey, brother. You're back already?""
Dad looked at Tiffany.
"Did you agree to become Ariana's emergency guardian?""
There was silence on the other end.
Then Samir cleared his throat.
"Where did you hear that?""
Dad's expression hardened.
"So it's true.""
"Listen, Khalil. It's not what you think.""
"That's exactly what Tiffany said.""
I watched my father walk toward the window.
"Did you sign something?""
Samir sighed.
"I signed a temporary guardianship acknowledgment.""
My chest tightened.
"Uncle Samir?""
He paused.
"Hello, Ariana.""
"Why would you agree to take me away?""
Nobody spoke.
Then Samir answered.
"Sweetheart, nobody was trying to hurt you.""
"Then why didn't you tell me?""
"I thought your father had already discussed it with you.""
Dad interrupted.
"He hadn't.""
Samir went quiet.
Tiffany quickly stepped forward.
"Tell him what you told me, Samir.""
Dad turned.
"Don't coach him.""
Samir continued.
"Tiffany said Ariana was struggling emotionally and needed a structured environment. She said you were overwhelmed with work and wanted someone in the family to help.""
Dad closed his eyes.
"Did she tell you the school was going to take Ariana three days after the wedding?""
"What?""
"Did she tell you she was arranging transportation without my knowledge?""
Samir didn't answer.
Dad lowered his voice.
"Did she tell you that the paperwork had been signed using documents she misrepresented to me?""
Another silence.
Then Samir said something that surprised everyone.
"No. She didn't.""
Tiffany snatched the phone from Dad's hand.
"Samir, stop talking!""
Dad immediately took it back.
"Don't touch my phone.""
Samir's voice came through the speaker.
"Listen, Khalil. I need to tell you something.""
"Go ahead.""
"I thought you knew.""
"About what?""
"The money.""
Dad frowned.
"What money?""
Tiffany's face changed.
Samir continued.
"The payment for the school placement. Tiffany told me you had already approved the arrangement and transferred the deposit.""
Dad looked at Tiffany.
"How much money?""
Samir hesitated.
"Twenty-five thousand dollars.""
My father stared at him.
"What?""
"She said it was part of the family education fund.""
Dad slowly lowered the phone.
There was a long silence.
Then he asked, "Which account?""
Samir gave him the last four digits.
Dad recognized it immediately.
It was the education savings account my mother had established for me before she died.
My mother had deposited money into it over several years. Dad had continued contributing after her death.
It was supposed to pay for my college education.
My father looked as though someone had punched him.
"That account was never supposed to be touched.""
Tiffany began shaking her head.
"I was going to replace it.""
Dad turned toward her.
"You took Ariana's education money?""
"I borrowed it!""
"Without asking me?""
"I needed the deposit!""
"For what?""
Tiffany's eyes filled.
"For the school!""
Dad threw his hands up.
"Why would you pay to send my daughter somewhere she doesn't want to go?""
"Because I thought it was best!""
"You spent her mother's money to get rid of her?""
Tiffany stepped backward.
"Don't say it like that.""
"How else should I say it?""
I felt sick.
The money my mother had worked for, saved, and protected was being used to make sure I disappeared.
Denise moved toward me.
She placed a hand on my shoulder.
"Come sit down, sweetheart.""
I shook my head.
"I don't want to sit.""
I looked at Tiffany.
"Did you take the money before or after you broke my mother's picture?""
She looked away.
That was answer enough.
Dad ended the call with Samir after asking him to send copies of everything he had signed.
Then he called David, his attorney, again.
This time, David answered.
Within fifteen minutes, he was at our front door.
He carried a leather briefcase and a folder.
After Dad explained what had happened, David examined the enrollment documents, the payment confirmation, and the alleged guardianship acknowledgment.
His expression grew increasingly serious.
"Don't delete anything," he said.
"Don't confront anyone else. Save every message and every document.""
Dad nodded.
"Can we stop the transfer?""
David looked at me.
"Has the school been given a transportation date?""
"Three days after the wedding," Denise answered.
David wrote something down.
"Then we'll contact the institution directly and demand that the authorization be placed on hold pending verification.""
Tiffany suddenly stood.
"You're making this sound criminal.""
David looked at her.
"That's because using someone else's money without authorization and misrepresenting consent can have serious legal consequences.""
She looked at Dad.
"You're going to let him threaten me?""
Dad didn't answer.
Instead, he asked David another question.
"Can you find out who submitted the original paperwork?""
"Yes. But there's one more issue.""
David opened the folder.
"The school received a second authorization request yesterday.""
Dad frowned.
"From whom?""
David pointed to the signature.
It wasn't Dad's.
It wasn't Samir's.
It was signed by a woman named Patricia Wells.
I didn't recognize the name.
But Denise did.
She covered her mouth.
"Oh, my God.""
Dad looked at her.
"Who is Patricia Wells?""
Denise slowly lowered her hand.
"She's Tiffany's mother.""
Tiffany closed her eyes.
David continued.
"The form lists her as an alternate receiving guardian. It also includes permission to collect Ariana's personal belongings.""
Dad's face hardened.
"Why would her mother need permission to collect my daughter's belongings?""
Tiffany whispered, "I was trying to make things easier.""
Dad looked at her.
"By involving your mother in taking my child?""
Tiffany didn't respond.
David placed the document on the table.
"There's something else. The school has received correspondence indicating that Ariana's current living arrangements are unsafe.""
I felt the blood drain from my face.
"What?""
David nodded.
"Someone reported that her father is frequently absent and that the child has been left without appropriate supervision.""
Dad stared at the page.
"Who made that report?""
David turned it around.
At the bottom was a name.
*Denise Parker.*
My aunt.
Tiffany's sister.
Everyone looked at Denise.
She began crying.
"That's not my report.""
Tiffany stepped forward.
"Denise, don't.""
Denise shook her head violently.
"I didn't write that!""
Dad's eyes narrowed.
"Then why is your name on it?""
Denise took out her phone.
"Because somebody used my identity.""
She opened her email and showed David a message.
"I received this yesterday. I thought it was spam.""
David read it.
Then he looked at Tiffany.
"This is getting much more serious.""
Tiffany suddenly grabbed her purse.
"I'm leaving.""
Dad blocked her path.
"You're not going anywhere until we know exactly what happened.""
She looked him directly in the eyes.
"Move, Khalil.""
"No.""
Her expression changed.
May you like
And then she said something that none of us expected.
"You really should ask your brother what he promised me in exchange for helping with Ariana.""
