Inside were loan papers showing that my name had been used to guarantee a $186,400 business debt. The loan involved a trucking company belonging to the son of Alden’s friend Brenda. Worse, my signature appeared on the documents even though I had never signed them or agreed to risk my property.
When I confronted Alden, he admitted knowing about the arrangement for more than two years. He claimed he had only wanted to help the struggling business and expected everything to work out. But I realized his anger over my separate pension account and pasture lease might have been connected to his fear that I would discover the hidden debt.
I gathered the documents and decided to consult an attorney to protect my finances and determine whether my signature had been forged. Alden asked what would happen to our marriage, but I couldn’t answer. Before considering forgiveness or separation, I needed the truth. Looking across my pasture at Miriam’s goats, I understood that independence wasn’t something I needed permission to have. After decades of trusting someone else with every financial decision, I was finally ready to protect what belonged to me.
