Chapter 3 - They Came Straight From St. Lucia
The funeral was held four days later.
Vanessa did not help plan it.
I did.
My mother chose the flowers.
My brother arranged transportation.
I selected Sofia’s photograph.
The one where she was laughing at the county fair, holding blue cotton candy twice the size of her head.
Vanessa sent three texts.
Make sure she wears the pearl bracelet I bought her.
Then:
I need a front-row seat.
Then:
Please tell people not to ask me questions. I’m fragile right now.
I didn’t answer any of them.
The service was nearly beginning when whispers spread through the entrance.
My brother leaned toward me.
“They’re here.”
I turned.
Vanessa walked in beside my husband.
They were both deeply tanned.
Daniel wore the pale linen shirt I had packed months earlier for our postponed anniversary trip.
Vanessa wore a white resort dress beneath a black cardigan.
Each pulled a rolling suitcase.
Matching luggage.
The little wheels rattled across the floor.
Everyone stared.
Vanessa stopped beside me.
“Traffic from the airport.”
Her voice was breathless.
Her makeup was perfect.
“Where is she?”
I stared at my sister.
“In the coffin.”
Her face collapsed.
“What?”
Daniel immediately stepped between us.
“Emma, not here.”
I looked at him.
“Not here?”
“We need to focus on Sofia.”
“I have been focused on Sofia for eight years.”
Vanessa pulled off her sunglasses.
“You think I haven’t?”
I looked at her tan.
Then at her suitcase.
A bright airline tag hung from Daniel’s handle.
UVF — ST. LUCIA.
Vanessa noticed me looking.
She stepped in front of it.
“My phone was stolen.”
Daniel nodded.
“Mine too.”
My brother, Mark, spoke from behind me.
“At the same time?”
Daniel turned.
“This is private.”
Mark laughed once.
“You arrived at a child’s funeral straight from the Caribbean with matching luggage. Privacy left the building before you did.”
“Mark.”
My mother’s voice stopped him.
She approached Vanessa slowly.
“Your daughter asked for you.”
Vanessa’s mouth trembled.
“Mom…”
“She asked for you until she couldn’t anymore.”
“I didn’t know.”
“The hospital called fifty-nine times.”
“I told you—”
“And Emma called sixty-eight.”
Vanessa looked at me.
“You counted?”
“I document things.”
Daniel closed his eyes.
He understood what that meant.
Vanessa didn’t.
“I lost my phone.”
“Then how were your messages marked delivered?”
“I don’t know.”
“And how did you check Instagram?”
She froze.
“What?”
“Your account was active the night Sofia died.”
“That could have been anyone.”
“From the resort Wi-Fi?”
Daniel whispered, “Emma.”
I turned toward him.
“Bury your niece first.”
I corrected myself.
“Actually, bury the child you both abandoned first.”
Vanessa slapped me.
The sound echoed.
No one moved.
My cheek burned.
She whispered, “How dare you.”
I looked at her.
“Finished?”
She stared at me.
“Good.”
I adjusted the black sleeve of my dress.
“Because after today, we discuss everything else you tried to bury.”
The funeral director quietly approached.
“We’re ready.”
I turned away from them.
For the next forty minutes, I gave Sofia the dignity her mother had denied her.
After the graveside service, Vanessa finally broke down.
She knelt beside the flowers.
“My baby.”
I watched from several feet away.
Some grief was genuine.
I believed that.
But regret does not erase choices.
Daniel approached me.
“We need to talk before you do something reckless.”
I almost smiled.
“Reckless?”
“You’re emotional.”
“That’s the second time you’ve used that word.”
“Because you are.”
“I’m also very organized.”
His jaw tightened.
“What have you done?”
“Nothing yet.”
“Emma.”
“You should probably call a lawyer.”
His face changed.
“This is between us.”
“No. Our money made it everybody’s business.”
“What does that mean?”
“You used joint funds.”
“I’ll reimburse you.”
“That’s not your biggest problem.”
He stared at me.
“What did you find?”
I stepped closer.
“Everything you were careless enough to leave behind.”
Behind him, Vanessa stood.
Her face went pale.
“What does she mean?”
Daniel looked at her.
“Go wait in the car.”
“No.”
“Vanessa.”
“What did she find?”
I answered for him.
“Hotel records.”
Vanessa swallowed.
“Bank transfers.”
Daniel said, “Emma.”
“Deleted messages.”
Vanessa’s eyes widened.
“And the security notifications from the account you thought Daniel removed.”
Daniel looked genuinely frightened now.
Good.
I lowered my voice.
“You both thought I was the boring sister who fixed everyone’s taxes.”
“Emma—”
“I investigate financial fraud for a living.”
Nobody spoke.
“I know how to follow money.”
Vanessa whispered, “What are you going to do?”
I looked toward Sofia’s coffin.
“What you should have done years ago.”
May you like
“What?”
“Take responsibility.”
