His face changed.
“Julian’s mother died when he was young.”
I waited.
“Afterward, Richard became interested in your mother.”
“Interested how?”
Grandpa’s mouth tightened.
“He wanted a relationship with her.”
“And Mom?”
“She said no.”
Something cold moved through me.
Grandpa continued.
“Richard wasn’t accustomed to hearing that word.”
“What did he do?”
“He fired her.”
“That’s all?”
“No.”
Grandpa looked ashamed even though none of it had been his fault.
“He used his business connections to make sure several other families in the area wouldn’t employ her either.”
A memory returned so sharply that I gasped.
