He looked hurt.
I understood why.
My brother had spent years believing he and my mother had a perfectly good relationship.
And they did.
But perhaps there were parts of their relationship he hadn't seen.
Then he said something that surprised me.
“I think my wife knows more than she's telling us.”
“What?”
He looked down.
“She asked me months ago whether Mom had a will.”
I stared at him.
“That's not unusual.”
“No.”
He swallowed.
“But she also asked whether the ring was insured.”
My stomach tightened.
“Did she know its value?”
“She asked.”
“And you told her?”
“I said I thought it was around fifty thousand.”
Silence.
Suddenly the pieces began falling into place.
My sister-in-law hadn't simply decided she liked the ring.
She knew exactly what it was worth.
She had been watching.
Calculating.
Waiting.
The Family Meeting
Two days later, we held a meeting with my mother's attorney.
My sister-in-law came too.
She walked into the room carrying a folder.
She looked confident.
Perhaps she believed the matter was going to end in her favor.
The attorney explained the terms of my mother's estate.
Then he presented the documentation regarding the ring.
My sister-in-law interrupted.
“This seems excessive.”
The attorney looked at her.
“It's quite straightforward.”
“But she could have changed her mind.”
“She did.”
My sister-in-law blinked.
“What?”
The attorney turned toward me.
“Your mother updated her estate instructions six months ago.”
My brother looked at me.
“You knew?”
“No.”
My sister-in-law leaned forward.
“Six months ago?”
“Yes,” the attorney said.
“Why would she suddenly change it?”
The attorney paused.
Then he said:
“She had a reason.”
My sister-in-law's voice sharpened.
“What reason?”
The attorney looked at me.
Then at my brother.
Then back at me.