That was not unreasonable by itself.
Dad was seventy-two. Mom was seventy.
A family discussing wills, medical decisions, and finances wasn’t suspicious.
But there was a difference between planning and quietly transferring control.
“Did you sign a power of attorney?”
Dad nodded.
“Limited, I thought.”
“For medical decisions?”
“And paying bills if I couldn’t.”
I looked at Mom.
“I signed something too.”
“Did either of you read it?”
Dad gave me a tired look.
“I read what Derek showed me.”
That answer stayed between us.
What Derek showed me.
Not what he signed.
I thought about Inez, my attorney, and hoped she was already finding the difference.
“What happened after that?”
Dad explained.
At first, Derek simply began handling utilities and grocery purchases. Then he reorganized the household account. Veronica started keeping receipts and telling my parents they needed a budget.
Mom had actually liked the idea.
“We thought they were becoming responsible,” she admitted.
