[music] [music] The bank’s taking the house, Roman.
I need help.
Just enough to catch up the payments.
I can sell some things.
Maybe get a part-time job [music] somewhere.
Mom, I’m in the middle of something.
Can this wait?
Roman, please.
How much are we talking?
42,000.
That’s what they say I owe with fees and everything.
Mom, I can’t just write a check for $42,000.
I’m leveraged on three new properties right now.
Cynthia’s got the kids in private school.
The restaurant expansion.
I wouldn’t ask if I had anywhere else to go.
Look, let me talk to my financial adviser.
Maybe I can do something in a month or two.
Can you stall them?
They [music] gave me 30 days.
Roman, I’ll call you back.
[music] Mom, I’m between patients.
What’s up, Melissa?
It’s about [music] the house.
The bank is foreclosing.
Roman promised to fix it, but he didn’t.
Oh, Mom.
Joe and I just refinanced.
Vivian’s tuition at Roosevelt is killing us.
[music] And honestly, at your age, maintaining that old house is throwing good money after bad.
Have you looked into assisted living?
There’s a really nice facility in Skoi.
And with your social security, I don’t want assisted living, Melissa.
I want to keep my house.
I know.
I know.
But sometimes we have to be practical.
That house is a money pit.
Let it go.
Use whatever equity is left to get a small apartment somewhere.
I’ll help you look.
There is no equity [music] left.
Your father’s medical bills took everything.
I’m sorry, Mom.
I really am.
But I can’t take this on right now.
Maybe talk to Rick.
He still lives around there, right?
The letter fell like winter rain.
[music] Cwords calling out my name.
40 years inside [singing] these walls.
Now I’m watching it all fall.
I call the ones [singing] I raised with love.
Mrs.
Brooks, we need you to vacate the premises now.
Do you have somewhere to go?
I have somewhere [music] every hurts so bad.
Where do I go?
Mom.
Oh, mom.
When did it happen?
This morning.
Rick, I can’t stay here.
There’s no room.
You’re staying.
Anna, my mom’s here.
The couch pulls out.
It’s not great, but it’s comfortable.
Daniel sleeps through the night now, so you won’t have to worry about crying.
I can’t put you out of your own living room.
You’re not putting us out.
You’re family.
This is what family does.
Family isn’t about success or convenience.
It’s about showing up when it matters.
Being there when there’s nowhere else to be.
Mom, you don’t have to pull weight.
[music] You raised me.
You fed me and clothed me and made sure I did my homework.
Now it’s my turn.
Just just let me do this.
Okay.
[music] You’re going to hurt your back, Mom.
Sit down.
Rest.
You’re retired.
I don’t want to rest.
I want to help.
You do help.
You help by being here.
Daniel adores you.
But nothing here will stay [music] the [singing] same.
The maple leaves fall one by one.
Like, we can’t afford another person, Rick.
I’m sorry, but we can’t.
The landlord raised the rent in July, remember?
And my hours got cut.
She’s my mother, Anna.
What am I supposed to do?
Put her on the street?
No.
But couldn’t Roman help?
Or Melissa?
They have money.
Roman hasn’t answered my calls in 2 years.
Melissa sends birthday cards.
Look, I’ll pick up extra shifts.
Overtime at the Morrison site starts next week.
I’ll make it work.
You’ll work yourself to death.
Better me than my mom on a shelter cot.
Oh, now [singing] I’m standing in the cold.
He’s burning up.
Rick, we need to take him to the ER.
I’ll call an Uber.
We can’t afford an Uber to the hospital.
And we definitely can’t afford an ER bill.
So, what do we do?
Let him cook.
Take him to the community clinic on Ashland.
[music] They do sliding scale.
Rick, put him in a lukewarm bath first.
Anna, find the thermometer.
$85.
That’s my grocery budget for two weeks.
I’ll pay it.
I get my check on the 3.
Mom, your check is $400.
You can’t I’m paying it.
Don’t argue with me.
But mom, I said don’t argue.
Yes, ma’am.
The clinic said bring him back if it gets worse.
But they did blood work last time.
They’ll want more money.
And the prescription from Walgreens, Rick, I looked it up.
It’s $60.
No, we don’t have a choice.
The rings are worth maybe 200.
That covers the clinic, the medicine, and some food until I get paid Friday.
Rick, those are our wedding rings.
Those rings, simple gold bands from a pawn shop on Kenzie 9 years ago.
[music] The only symbol of our marriage I have.
You’re my wife whether we have rings or not.
Anna, I love you.
I’ve loved you since we were 16 years old.
A piece of metal doesn’t change that.
My son is sick and I’m not going to watch him suffer because I got sentimental over jewelry.
[gasps] I’ll go with you to the pawn shop.
I want to make sure they give you a fair price.
Mom, you don’t have to.
I’m coming.
Rick Brooks, haven’t seen you in a while.
Thought you went legit.
I did.
Just need some cash, Mo.
Emergency.
18 karat.
Scratch is thin.
I can do 150.
It’s fair.
It’s also not enough.
200.
This your mom?
She drives a hard bargain.
175.
Final offer.
And tell you what, you got 30 days to buy them back.
No interest.
Just cuz I like a man who takes care of his family.
[music] The letter fell like [singing] winter [music] rains call out 40 years inside these [singing and music] walls.
Gone to see your brother.
Don’t worry, I’ll call later.
Love, mom.
The ones I raised with love.
[music] Gave them [singing] everything I had.
But every voice was far away.
Every hurt [music and singing] so bad.
Yes, it’s Helen, Oscar’s wife.
I’d like to speak with Roman, please.
Helen, this is unexpected.
It’s 7:30 in the morning.
I know.
I’m sorry, but I need to see him.
It’s important.
Roman’s getting dressed.
He’s got a meeting at 9:00.
You’ll need to be quick.
Thank you for letting me in.
The kids are still sleeping.
Please keep your voice down.
Mom, what are you doing here?
I need your help, Roman.
The bank took the house.
I’ve been staying with Rick, but it’s too much for him.
His apartment is tiny, and he’s struggling financially, and I I can’t keep being a burden.
I need a place to stay, just for a while, until I figure something out.
Mom, I wish you’d called first.
I did call three months ago when I got the foreclosure notice.
You said you talked to your financial advisor and I did.
The timing was terrible.
We were closing on the Oakbrook property and the restaurant renovation went over budget by 40%.
Look, I can give you some money, help you find an apartment, but you can’t stay here.
Why not?
I could help with the kids.
I could cook.
I wouldn’t be in the way.
It’s not about being in the way.
Cynthia’s mother stays with us sometimes.
The guest room is basically hers.
And honestly, Mom, the neighborhood association here is very particular.
If people found out I had my mother living in my house like some kind of like some kind of failure, like some kind of son who can’t take care of his own mother.
That’s not fair.
What’s not fair is me sitting in your fancy living room begging for a bed while you worry about what your neighbors think.
Your father would be ashamed of you.
Dad’s not here, Mom.
And I’m doing the best I can.
Take this.
Get a hotel room for a few nights.
I’ll have my assistant look into subsidized housing options.
But I can’t have you here.
I’m sorry.
Keep it.
I don’t want your guilt money.
Behind the dust, [music] behind the ears, I found his words beneath my tears.
A final promise sealed away.
[singing] Waiting for my dark.
Mom, what are you doing here?
Roman said no.
The bank took my house.
Rick’s drowning, trying to support me.
I need a place to stay, Melissa, just until I get on my feet.
Joe’s still home.
And Vivian’s getting ready for school.
Mom, I can’t.
Joe and I were having problems.
We’re in couples therapy.
Having my mother move in would be the final straw.
I could stay out of your way.
I could There’s no way to stay out of the way in this house.
It’s three bedrooms and one is Joe’s office.
Here, take this.
I’m sorry.
I really am.
But you need to understand.
I have my own life.
I can’t keep fixing everyone else’s problems.
Your brother gave me 500.
You know what?
20 feels more honest.
Mom, don’t be like that.
Like what?
Like a woman whose children treat her like a stranger.
Never mind, Melissa.
Go to work.
Save lives.
Don’t worry about your mother.
Rick’s got me.
He always did.
[music] I walk through loss.
I walk through shame.
You had your chance to show you care.
Mrs.
Brooks.
Mrs.
Helen Brooks.
I’m sorry.
Do I know you?
It’s Sarah.
Sarah Sila.
I used to clean your house on Winchester every Thursday for almost 6 years.
You always made me lunch.
Grilled cheese usually.
And you tell me stories about Mr.
Brooks when he was still running the deli.
Sarah.
Oh my goodness.
I didn’t recognize you.
I’m so sorry.
You got older, Mrs.
Brooks.
We both did.
I heard about the house.
I’m so sorry.
How did you hear?
I still clean houses in the neighborhood.
Word gets around.
Mrs.
Brooks, I found this at your old house.
The new owners hired me to clean before they move in next week.
I was moving the big oak dresser in the back bedroom, the one that was always too heavy to move properly.
It’s addressed to you in Mr.
Brooks’s handwriting.
I didn’t open it.
I thought about it.
Lord knows I could use whatever’s in there, but that would be stealing.
And your husband was always kind to me.
So, I asked around, found out you were staying with your son in back of the yards.
And when I saw you sitting here, well, I figured God wanted me to find you.
Sarah, I don’t know what to say.
Thank you.
Thank you so much.
You should open it.
I’ll get you some water.
[screaming] It’s Sarah.
It’s $450,000.
Jesus.
Mary and Joseph.
[music] Mr.
Brooks left you half a million.
Lydia, if you’re reading this, I’m probably gone.
I’m sorry I couldn’t tell you about this in person.
I started this account 15 years ago, putting away a little every month from the deli’s profits.
It was supposed [music] to be our retirement fund.
Something to surprise you with.
I hid the check behind mom’s dresser because I [music] didn’t trust banks completely.
And I figured if anything happened to me, you’d find it when you went through my things.
I know you hate going through my things.
So, if someone else found this and gave it to you, say thank you to them for me.
Don’t tell the kids right away.
Think about what you want.
This money is yours, not theirs.
They have their own lives.
This is for you to be safe and comfortable.
I love you.
I always did.
Oscar.
He knew.
He knew I’d need this someday [music] and he made sure I’d have it.
Mr.
Brooks was a good man.
I need to go to the bank right now before before anything happens to this.
Will you come with me?
I don’t think I can do this alone.
Mrs.
Brooks, I got three more houses to clean today.
But you know what?
They can wait.
Let’s go cash [music] your husband’s love letter.
Excuse [music] me.
I need to speak with someone about this check.
This is a cashier’s check from our institution dated over 5 years ago.
This is not a routine transaction.
It was hidden in my house.
My husband, the account holder, passed away before he could give it to me.
I just found it.
I see.
Please have a seat.
I’ll need to verify this with our records department.
This may take a few minutes.
Mrs.
Brooks, I’m Thomas Patterson.
I’ve reviewed your husband’s account history.
This is quite unusual.
Is the money still there?
Yes.
Well, in a manner of speaking, this check was drawn from a time deposit account that your husband opened in 2008.
The account was set to mature in 5 years, at which point the funds would either roll over or be released to the name beneficiary.
You, Mrs.
Brooks, so I can have the money.
The account matured three years ago.
At that point, because no one claimed the funds, the bank was legally required to report it as unclaimed property to the state.
However, it appears there was an administrative error.
The funds were never actually transferred to the state’s unclaimed property division.
They’ve been sitting in a dormant account accumulating interest.
How much?
The original principal was $450,000 with acred interest at the original rate.
The current balance is approximately $512,000.
We’ll need a state verification, a death certificate, marriage certificate, proof of identity, and an attorney.
I don’t have an attorney, Mr.
Patterson.
I don’t have anyone.
The account records indicate that your husband worked with a specific attorney when he set up this account.
His name is in the file.
Dominic Espazito of Espazito and Associates on Dearborn Street.
Can you give me his number?
Of course.
Thank you, Mr.
Patterson.
I’ll call Mr.
Espazito today.
You’re welcome.
Take care.
Mrs.
Brooks, I’m so happy for you.
You deserve this.
Sarah, I don’t know how to thank you.
If you hadn’t found that envelope, go see the lawyer.
Take care of yourself.
Buy something nice.
You would have found it eventually or someone honest would have.
Go see that lawyer.
Take care of yourself.
And Mrs.
Brooks, buy yourself something nice.
Mr.
Brooks would want you to enjoy it.
[music] [music] Mrs.
Brooks.
Helen, please sit down.
Thomas Patterson called me 20 minutes ago.
He filled me in on the situation.
You knew Oscar?
I did.
We were friends for 30 years.
He came to me in 2008 and said he wanted to set something up for you just in case.
Dom, he told me.
Lydia never thinks about herself.
If something happens to me, I need to know she’ll be okay.
So, we created the account, structured it to mature in 5 years, and he asked me to hold the check as backup.
But he must have changed his mind and hidden it himself.
He left a note, said this was for me, not the kids.
He loved you very much, Mrs.
Brooks.
Now, let’s talk about where you stand legally.
Yes, please.
The money is yours.
The account is in your name as beneficiary.
The funds are verified and the bank acknowledges their error in not processing the maturity properly.
I can have the paperwork filed this week and you should have access within 10 business days.
That’s it.
It’s that simple.
The bank side is simple.
The family side, Mrs.
Brooks, do your children know about this money?
They have their own lives.
That’s what they keep telling me.
You have a good son in Rick.
I do.
And Roman and Melissa.
Mrs.
Brooks, I need to ask you a difficult question.
If Roman and Melissa find out about this money, and they will eventually, what do you want to happen?
I want to buy a house.
Not a mansion.
A small house maybe in the suburbs with a yard for Daniel to play in.
I want to set Rick up in business so he doesn’t have to break his back on construction sites anymore.
I want to start a college fund for Daniel.
And I want the house and Rick’s business.
And I want Roman and Melissa to understand that they can’t treat me like garbage and still expect to benefit when something good happens.
That’s reasonable.
More than reasonable.
But I need to warn you.
If they contest your will, if they claim you’re not of sound mind, they could tie this up in court for years.
I’ve seen it happen.
Family money brings out the worst in people.
What do I do?
First, we document everything.
Your health, your mental state, your decision-making capacity.
I want you to see a psychiatrist, not because I think you need one, but because if this goes to court, we’ll want an independent [music] medical opinion stating that you’re fully competent.
And second, second, we draft a will that reflects your wishes.
You can leave your money however you want, Mrs.
Brooks.
But I strongly recommend clarity.
If she’s going to exclude Roman and Melissa, say so explicitly.
Ambiguity breeds lawsuits.
Do it.
Draft the will.
I’ll see the psychiatrist.
And Dominic, don’t tell anyone.
Not yet.
Attorney client privilege.
Mrs.
Brooks, your secrets are safe with me.
Oscar would be proud of you.
He always said you were stronger than you knew.
But they could never [singing] change [music] my mind.
One son gave everything he had.
Are you expecting someone?
No.
Rick, we need to talk to mom.
Since when do you show up at my house without calling?
Since I found out our mother is sitting on half a million dollars and you didn’t think to tell us.
How did you find out?
Joseph saw the account activity in the system.
A dormant account suddenly flagged for beneficiary release.
Large sum.
He did his job and checked it.
And guess whose name was on it?
Our father.
Our dead father.
Leaving money to our mother.
And neither of you said a word.
I didn’t know until 10 days ago.
And I asked Rick not to tell anyone.
This was my decision.
[music] Your decision?
Mom, do you know what half a million dollars means?
Do you understand the position you’re in?
I understand perfectly, Melissa.
It’s my money.
[music] Your father left it to me.
And you’re just going to let Rick control it?
That’s what this is about, isn’t it?
Rick got to you first.
He convinced you to cut us out.
Nobody convinced me of anything.
Rick doesn’t even know how much it is.
I haven’t told him.
Excuse me.
You don’t get to come into my son’s home and use that language.
Someone has to be honest.
Helen, let’s stop pretending.
Rick has been living off Roman and Melissa for years.
Every time he needs something, he guilts them into helping.
Now he’s got his hooks into you and your little wine fault.
Cynthia, shut your mouth.
Or what?
You’ll hit me like father, like son.
No, don’t.
You want to know the truth?
The truth is that when the bank took my house, I called Roman first.
He gave me $500 and told me he couldn’t help.
I went to Melissa next.
[music] She gave me $20 and suggested assisted living.
Rick was the only one who opened his door.
He sold his wedding rings to buy medicine for his sick son because I was living with them and they couldn’t afford it otherwise.
So, don’t you dare come in here and talk about Rick controlling anything.
Mom, we didn’t know it was that bad.
You didn’t ask.
Neither of you.
You assumed I was fine or that someone else would handle it.
Well, someone did.
Rick handled it.
And now Oscar has made sure I can handle myself.
Mom, I’m going to be frank.
That amount of money is too much for you to manage alone.
You’re 68 years old.
You don’t have experience with investments, estate planning, tax implications.
You need professional help.
I have an attorney.
Rick’s attorney.
My attorney, Dominic Espazito, [music] Oscar’s friend.
We should meet with him together as a family.
No, Mom.
I said no.
Roman, when you wouldn’t let me stay in your guest room because of your neighborhood association, you made a choice.
Melissa, when you gave me $20 and closed your door, you made a choice.
Those choices have consequences.
I am not obligated to share my inheritance with people who treated me like a burden.
That’s not fair.
Life isn’t fair.
I learned that when I lost my husband and my house in the same year.
You should go.
When I have my affairs in order, Dominic will contact all of you.
Until then, I don’t want to hear about what I should do with my money.
Mom, I really am sorry about everything.
I know you are, sweetheart.
But sorry doesn’t fix what happened.
Go home.
Take care of your family.
Let me take care of mine.
Mom, half a million dollars.
512,000 to be exact.
And you didn’t tell me.
I needed to figure things out first.
I needed to know what I wanted.
Rick, I’m going to buy a house, a nice little place in the suburbs, and I’m going to set you up in business.
A restaurant maybe, or a construction company, something that uses your skills and gives you stability.
And I’m going to put money away for Daniel’s college.
Mom, you don’t have to do that for me.
I know I don’t have to.
I want to.
Your father left me this money so I wouldn’t have to depend on anyone.
And I don’t want you to have to depend on anyone either.
Not on construction sites, not on pawn shops, not on whether it rains or shines.
You deserve better.
What about Roman and Melissa?
I don’t know yet.
I don’t want to punish them.
But I can’t reward them either.
Not for doing nothing.
Fair enough.
Whatever you decide, Mom, I’m with you.
Oh yeah.
Long road, but I’m standing now.
[music] I’m turning down work, Mom.
Me turning down work that never happened before.
You’re good at what you do.
People can tell.
[music] in his pockets still he shared gave me a home and showed he cared then from the past came a letter somehow [music] my tears are drying it’s my time now all of the pain that I [singing] carried inside turned into fire now I’m ready to rise you didn’t see me when I needed your love now you see blessings falling from above you okay no he’s my son watching him fall apart doesn’t make me happy you want to help him.
I want to, but I can’t [music] save him from himself.
Your father tried to teach all of you that money isn’t what makes you worth something.
Roman never learned that lesson.
Helen, this is the reporter.
I need your comment on Melissa’s alleged involvement.
I don’t know what you’re talking about.
Dr.
Dr.
Melissa Reed is under investigation for allegedly accepting kickbacks from a pharmaceutical company in exchange for prescribing their medication to patients at West Suburban Medical Center.
The FBI served a warrant on her office yesterday.
It’s mom.
I’m not calling about money.
I’m calling because you’re my daughter and I’m worried about you.
Please call me back.
[music] who stood in the storm with me.
It’s my [music] mom.
I saw Roman today.
Where?
Downtown.
He was sitting outside the Belmont Redline station with a cardboard sign.
I almost didn’t recognize him.
Is he Is he homeless?
Looks like it.
The sign said hungry.
Anything helps.
Former business owner.
I gave him 20 bucks and told him to call you.
He wouldn’t look me in the eye.
No more begging [music] at your door.
I know what I am worth.
[music] Roman.
Mom.
Rick said you might come.
I told him not to tell you.
He’s my son.
He tells me things.
How long?
Since February.
Cynthia took the house in a divorce.
The bank froze what was left of my accounts when the investors pulled out.
I stayed with a friend for a while, then a shelter.
Then I tried to get work.
Nobody hires a guy whose company made the front page of the business section.
Eat.
Mom, I can’t.
Eat the food, Roman.
You’re skin and bones.
Thank you.
You’re welcome.
Roman, I need to say something and I need you to listen without [music] interrupting.
When your father died, I lost everything.
My husband, my house, my sense of who I was.
I came to you for help because I thought he’s my son.
He loves me.
He’ll take care of me.
And you gave me $500 and sent me away because you were embarrassed.
Mom, I said don’t interrupt.
When I went to Melissa, she gave me $20 and told me to look into assisted living.
Rick sold his wedding rings.
Do you understand the difference?
You were ashamed of me.
Rick was ashamed of himself for not having more to give.
I was afraid.
I was afraid of what people would think.
My wife, my neighbors, my investors.
I thought if they saw my mother living with me, they’d think I couldn’t take care of my own family.
And now what do your investors think?
Your neighbors?
Cynthia?
Now I don’t have any of those things.
I lost the business, the house, the wife, the kids.
I have this coat and this sign and the 20 bucks Rick gave me.
I was wrong, Mom.
I know I was wrong.
I don’t expect you to forgive me.
I don’t even expect you to keep talking to me, but I need you to know that I know I was a terrible son.
I was selfish and cruel, and I abandoned you when you needed me most.
I forgive you, but forgiveness doesn’t mean forgetting.
And it doesn’t mean going back to how things were.
I’m not going to give you money, Roman.
I’m not going to buy you an apartment or bail you out of this mess.
Your father left me enough to take care of myself and to help Rick, but he didn’t leave me enough to fix your life.
I wouldn’t take it anyway.
I don’t deserve it.
That’s not for you to decide.
What you deserve and what you get are rarely the same thing in this life.
This is the address of Rick’s diner, Brook’s Kitchen [music] on Surerac Road.
Every morning at 6, Rick makes breakfast for the construction crews.
If you show up hungry, he’ll feed you.
No questions asked.
That’s not charity.
That’s family.
Why are you [music] being kind to me after everything I did?
Because I’m your mother.
That doesn’t stop because you made mistakes.
But kindness isn’t the same as rescue, Roman.
You need to figure out how to stand on your own two feet.
Rick did it.
Your father did it.
So can you.
The food’s there every morning at 6.
The rest is up to you.
Mom, tell Dad I’m sorry.
I know he’s gone, but tell him anyway.
You can tell him yourself.
Every morning at 6 when you get up to go to that diner, that’s how you apologize.
Not with words, with showing up.
[music]
