CHAPTER 6
"Mom," Julian’s voice echoed clearly through the phone line, filled with deep concern and unconditional love. "I just spoke with Arthur Pendelton. Did the police take Max?"
"Yes, sweetheart," I said, sitting down at the massive mahogany table in my dining room, looking out at the Pacific Ocean shining in the distance. "It's over. He tried to file the forged deed today."
Julian let out a long, heavy sigh from thousands of miles away, the pain in his voice matching the ache in my own heart.
"I tried to talk to him last week, Mom," Julian admitted quietly. "I told him he was crossing a line, but he wouldn't listen. He was completely obsessed with keeping up appearances in Los Angeles."
"He made his choices, Julian," I said, wiping a single tear from my eye before it could fall onto my silk blouse. "I spent my whole life giving him safety nets, but sometimes a man has to hit the floor before he learns how to stand up."
"Are you okay, Mom?" Julian asked, his voice softening. "Do you want me to catch the next flight to Los Angeles?"
"No, my dear," I smiled, feeling a sense of deep peace settling into my soul for the first time in months. "I am stronger than your brother ever realized. But I do want you and Maria to come visit next month... the gardens are blooming beautifully."
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"We will be there, Mom," Julian promised warmly. "I love you."
"I love you too, son."
