My Mother Stole Nana’s Care Fund for Costa Rica—But I Had Already Moved Every Dollar

My Mother Stole Nana’s Care Fund for Costa Rica—But I Had Already Moved Every Dollar

I was in the kitchen making Nana’s birthday pie when my mom texted like she had already won: “Costa Rica, here we come.

We transferred what we needed.” I just smiled and sent back one sentence: “Good thing I moved every dollar three days ago. What happened when they tried to put down the $60,000 deposit turned their dream trip into total chaos....

I was rolling pie crust in my grandmother’s kitchen when my mother texted me from the airport. Costa Rica, here we come! Transferred what we needed.

I stood there with flour on my hands, the wooden rolling pin still under my palms, and stared at the message until the words stopped looking like language and started looking like theft.

Nana’s birthday was that afternoon.

Eighty-one.

She was in the living room napping in her chair with a blanket over her knees while a jazz station murmured softly from the radio and the whole little yellow house smelled like butter, cinnamon, and the apples I’d already sliced for the filling. I

Good thing I moved every dollar three days ago.

The typing bubbles appeared instantly.

Then vanished.

Then reappeared.

Then vanished again.

I almost felt sorry for them.

Almost.

Because the Costa Rica trip wasn’t just a vacation. I already knew from my cousin that my mother had been bragging about a cliffside villa, private chef package, and “family healing week” for six adults who, notably, did not include me or Nana.