I knew some of the down payment came from our savings, including the salary I’d earned working for a local education nonprofit before taking parental leave.

When the property records arrived, Evelyn found another complication: a home equity line had been opened the previous year, and its balance was much larger than I expected.

“Do you recognize this authorization?” she asked.

I stared at a copy of an electronic signature.

“No.”

Kyle had told me the mortgage was nearly paid off.

He had even joked that I was the luckiest woman in Columbus because I didn’t have to worry about bills.

Helen reviewed the line-of-credit disbursements.