“Today was for pictures.”
“Yes.”
Gary switched off the speaker.
The silence afterward felt enormous.
Naomi moved quickly.
“It isn’t what she’s making it sound like.”
I looked at her.
“I haven’t made it sound like anything.”
I pointed to the papers.
“The invoices are yours.”
Naomi reached for the envelope.
Mom pulled it away.
That small movement hurt more than shouting would have.
For once, Mom was protecting evidence instead of Naomi.
“This is internal business paperwork,” Naomi said.
Mom stared at her.
“My address is on it.”
“It’s an event budget.”
“You charged your company to use my home.”
“I organized the event.”
Mom’s voice became smaller.
“I made twelve gallons of iced tea.”
Nobody laughed.
Naomi looked toward me.
“Tell them how event accounting works.”
“I’m not the person you need to convince.”
Her eyes narrowed.
“What does that mean?”
“The company compliance office already has copies.”
Everything left Naomi’s face.
The smile.
The event-manager voice.
The color.
“You reported me?”
“I sent the company documents involving my property.”
“Call them Monday.”
“No.”
“Thea.”
“No.”
“I’ll close the page.”
“That’s your decision.”
“I’ll repay everything.”
“That’s between you and them.”
Naomi stepped closer.
“Family doesn’t do this to family.”
There it was.
The final argument.
I looked at the invoice in Mom’s hands.
“Family doesn’t invoice each other’s backyards without permission either.”
Naomi became silent.
Mom finally looked at me.
“How could you do this to your sister?”
I had expected the question all week.
Prepared for it.
Still, hearing it hurt.
I took a breath.
“Ask her what she did to me.”
Mom’s eyes lowered toward the paperwork.
For once, she did not have an immediate answer.
The cookout ended without beginning.
Cars left slowly.
Coolers returned to trunks.
Gary drove away towing his smoker.
Aunt Deb took the sheet cake home.
Randy avoided eye contact.
Aunt Ruthie walked over before leaving and gave me a quick hug.
“Beans will freeze.”
“I know.”
“Your daddy would be proud.”
That almost got me crying again.
After the last vehicle left, Reyes returned my documents.
“You okay?”
“Yes.”
He looked toward the pool.
“Nice yard.”
“Thank you.”
Then he left.
I locked the gate.
The backyard returned to silence.
Monday morning, Blue Bonnet Ridge called.
Naomi had been removed from event responsibilities pending review.
Later that week, the firm ended her employment after confirming the invoices and vendor registration had not been properly authorized.
They requested repayment of the $5,400 and removed Coleman Ridge Venue from their vendor system.
No public spectacle.
No criminal drama.
Just consequences written in HR letters and accounting entries.
Naomi called me after the meeting.
I almost did not answer.
Then I did.
“They fired me.”
“I’m sorry.”
“You’re sorry?”
“Yes.”
“You caused it.”
“No.”
“You sent the paperwork.”