She had been bothered by who heard our father’s words, not by what the words meant.

I asked why she had hidden the envelope under her gloves.

She claimed she had found it while helping our mother organize papers and had not understood it.

‘Mom told me it was old paperwork about the house,’ she said.

‘Then she said I shouldn’t touch it.’

‘Why didn’t you give it to me?’

‘Because every conversation with you turns into an argument about how unfair things have been.’

For a moment I wanted to shout.