Chapter 5 - What Aaron Changed Before He Died
Two days later, Peter was at Aaron’s old union office because Marisol needed financial information for the kinship file and Peter needed air that did not smell like disinfectant or fear. A benefits coordinator pulled a folder from a cabinet and frowned.
“This was updated about three weeks before Aaron passed,” she said.
Peter leaned forward. Aaron had changed the beneficiary on his life insurance. Reena was no longer the direct recipient. The money had been directed into a trust for Drew and Lily, with a local bank as trustee and Peter listed as backup contact if the children’s welfare was ever questioned.
“He asked a lot of questions that month,” the coordinator said. “About guardianship, temporary custody, what happened if a spouse contested a trust. He seemed… distracted.”
Peter took the copy with a shaking hand. Aaron had never told him. Or maybe he had tried.
That night, after Lily finally went down in a borrowed toddler bed and Drew slept through only one nightmare instead of three, Peter sat at the kitchen table staring at Aaron’s name on the form.
Reena had told the whole family Aaron left things simple because he trusted her completely. That was not true.
Near midnight Drew began muttering in his sleep. Peter went to the couch and bent close.
“Daddy said Uncle Pete would come,” Drew whispered. “Mommy said he said no. Mommy said we weren’t his problem.”
Peter closed his eyes.
If Aaron had tried to reach him, if Aaron had needed him and died thinking he had refused, then the damage had started long before the basement.
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In the morning, Peter got a call from a number he did not know.
“This is Mateo Ruiz,” the man said. “I worked nights with your brother. I think I need to tell you something.”
