Tessa appeared behind him wearing pink slippers.
Eric grabbed Barbara’s note.
That was when Barbara opened our car door and stepped out.
“My mother.”
Tessa picked up a trophy.
“Why is your childhood here?”
“I don’t know.”
He dragged a box toward the doorway.
That was when Barbara opened our car door and stepped out.
“You wanted your own life. I’m done storing it for you.”
“Morning,” she called.
Eric froze.
“Mom?”
Barbara walked toward him without raising her voice.
“You wanted your own life. I’m done storing it for you.”
Eric stared at her.
She told him she was finished making his adult life convenient while he ignored his child.
“You’re angry because Claire complained?”
Barbara smiled.
“No. Keep listening, Eric.”
She told him she was finished making his adult life convenient while he ignored his child.
Eric scoffed.
“So you’re dumping junk here?”
Barbara pulled an envelope from her purse.
Barbara looked past him toward the front door.
“The boxes are the easy part.”
Tessa stopped smiling.
Eric crossed his arms.
“What does that mean?”
Barbara pulled an envelope from her purse.
“What housing arrangement?”
“I’m giving you formal notice that our housing arrangement is changing.”
He blinked.
“What housing arrangement?” Tessa asked.
Barbara looked directly at her.
“The one where Eric rents this house from me for far less than it’s worth.”
Tessa stared at Eric.
“I bought this house when Eric couldn’t qualify for a mortgage.”
“Rent?”
He went pale.
“Mom, don’t.”
Barbara continued.
“I bought this house when Eric couldn’t qualify for a mortgage. He’s been paying me a family rate ever since.”
Tessa turned slowly toward him.
“When the current arrangement ends, so does the family rate.”
“You said you owned this house outright.”
Eric snapped, “Can everyone stop talking?”
Barbara didn’t.
“When the current arrangement ends, so does the family rate. After that, you can pay the proper rent or find somewhere else to live.”
Eric stared at her.
“I’m ashamed. There’s a difference.”
“You can’t change everything because you’re angry with me.”
Barbara shook her head.
“I’m not angry.”
Her voice hardened.
“I’m ashamed. There’s a difference.”
Eric looked away.
Eric shot her a warning look.
“Claire didn’t ask me to do this,” Barbara continued. “I finally understand what kind of man I’ve been protecting from consequences.”
Tessa folded her arms.
“What consequences?”
Eric shot her a warning look.
Barbara turned away from them.
“We’re done here.”
“No. I waited 34 years for you to grow up.”
Eric followed us to the curb.
“Mom, seriously, wait.”
Barbara opened my door.
“No. I waited 34 years for you to grow up.”
Then we drove away before he could answer either woman.
She stopped at the pharmacy and paid for Chloe’s supplies.
Eric had told me to ask someone who cared.
I stared at the bag in my lap.
Eric had told me to ask someone who cared.
Barbara had never heard him say it.
Somehow, that made it hurt more.
“I’ll repay you,” I said.
At my kitchen table, Barbara opened a notebook.
“Yes,” she answered.
Barbara smiled.
“Because this cannot become another woman cleaning up after Eric.”
At my kitchen table, Barbara opened a notebook.
“Savings he removed?”
“Yes.”
“He said he paid for most of the savings anyway.”
“Shared bills?”
“Yes.”
“Furniture he took?”
“Some.”
“Medical costs?”
I nodded.
“He said he paid for most of the savings anyway.”
I hesitated.
“He said he paid for most of the savings anyway.”
Barbara slid the notebook toward me.
“Then let the records decide that.”
I wrote everything down.
Dates. Amounts. Messages.
I stopped outside the elevator.
Then she drove me somewhere else.
A family-law office.
I stopped outside the elevator.
“Barbara, I can’t afford this.”
“The consultation is covered.”
