I looked at the number, unable to understand what I was seeing.
All my pension payments for those years were there.
Nothing had been spent.
But then I noticed something else.
Next to almost every deposit was another transfer.
Robert.
I looked up.
What is this?
He sat next to me.
“Your money.
“But you always said…
I know what he was saying.
He took a deep breath.
When my father died, my mother had nothing in her name. After forty years of marriage, he had to ask his children for money even to buy food. That day I promised myself that, if something happened to me someday, my wife would never have to ask anyone for a dollar.
I couldn’t say a word.
Robert continued.
“I paid the house, the car and all our expenses with my own pension. I never spent your pension on me. Every month I would log her into this account. And whenever I could, I added some of my own money too.
My eyes were already filled with tears.
But it wasn’t over yet.
Robert pulled another document from the folder.
They were the updated documents of ownership of our house.
To my name.
—Robert…
He took my hand.
“You always heard me say, “You don’t need money.”
A small smile appeared on his face.
“Yes,” he admitted. I said it in the worst way possible.
I laughed in tears.
