CHAPTER 51

CARMEN

“What?” My mom and I exclaimed at the same time after Dave’s announcement, bringing the attention of the people who had excused us.

“Is everything okay?” Jasper asked, raising an eyebrow of concern at us.

“We’re fine, thank you!” Mom replied before she went back to looking at Dave. “What do you mean by that? A life insurance? He didn’t tell me anything about that. Where did you get that information from?”

“I am his son and his business partner. He feels obligated to tell me everything. He said he took one out recently because he’s afraid that whatever this illness is, it could kill him,” Dave explained.

“No.” Mom shook her head, using her hands to cover her face as she chanted the single word of denial. “No, no, no, no. He can’t die. How could he say that? He doesn’t know what he’s talking about.”

“I didn’t want to believe it at first, but it’s Steve Wilmer we’re talking about here,” Dave said. “He barely goes to see a doctor whenever he’s sick, and he practically has to be for