ls. As I pulled into the gravel driveway, the front door opened. My mother

aid, her first words

ve is lo

She just looked at me, her eyes scanni

I brought a g

assive as ever. Caleb slouched in the doorway, a smi

e talking about the money, Gabriel

The hope I' d foolishly nurtured

despite the tremor in my hands. I took out the env

"Five thousand? What's that going to

rom my hand, looked at the check,

irm, the voice he used when delivering wh

is $80,000

at him, s

"And the $60,000 that remains from the tithe you failed to provide when you

's not happening. Ethan and I have