How do I go about confirming this?
And if it’s true—oh my god. Do I have to pay off the debt my mother put under my name?
I don't even know how much it could be.
I’ve been saving for years just for a down payment on a loan.
Oh god.
I’m going to be sick.
“Well, I?—”
Before I can say another word, Dad’s radio goes off and he stands quickly.
“I’m sorry, Brooke.” He rushes around his desk and hugs me quickly. “Call your sister. She will walk you through the steps.”
The steps?
What steps?
He’s out the door before I can respond.
If he knew my mother was capable of this, why didn’t he mention it to me? Wouldn’t it make sense so that I could check on my own credit and protect myself?
I stand slowly and leave the station, waving a pitiful goodbye to my dad's coworkers.
My walk to the bakery is slow, and I sneak in through the back and close myself in the office.
I had a whole plan, and that plan feels impossible right now.
How do I still get to buy this place and open the online store and grow this whole idea with no loan?
No extra money.
How can I make extra money?
Better yet, how do I improve my credit to a spot where I can get approved for a loan?
I dig my phone from my purse and immediately call my sister.
It gets through half a ring before she answers.
“Hey, sis, what’s up?
“How could you not tell me that Mom took credit cards out in your name?”
The question comes out snappy. It’s not her fault that Mom did this, but she could have said something. I could have checked my credit score a long time ago.
“Shit, who told you?”
I huff. “The bank basically did when they turned me down for a loan. Then I went to Dad, and he told me about Mom.”
“Oh no, she got you too.”
I toss my hands up.
“Seems that way. How do I check? What do I do? How long until this goes away?”
