“Hazel, if the children ever pressure you for money or signatures, call Elias Grant.”
Underneath it, Grandma had written one sentence of her own.
“Sometimes the people who hurt you are the people you spent your whole life protecting.”
Then she added another line.
“But protecting yourself is not betrayal.”
I looked at her.
“Are you sure you want me to keep this?”
She nodded.
“Your grandfather wanted me to have a warning.”
She smiled.
“I want you to have a lesson.”
We walked through security together.
Behind us, the airport doors opened and closed.
People hurried toward gates.
Families hugged.
Children dragged suitcases.
