Before turning in, Eleanor checked on her.
Her daughter was under the blanket with only her face visible.
“Mom?”
“Yes?”
“Am I still invited to Grandma’s house?”
The question hit Eleanor harder than the accusations had.
She sat on the edge of the bed.
“I don’t know what Grandma is going to choose.”
Mia’s eyes shifted toward the wall.
“But whatever she chooses,” Eleanor continued, “you are not going to earn your way into anybody’s house.
Understand?”
Mia nodded.
“Okay.”
Eleanor kissed her forehead and turned off the lamp.
The next morning, her phone showed fifty-three missed calls.
For one second, Eleanor thought something terrible must have happened.
Then she saw the names.
Mom.
Dad.
Heather.
Leo.
Again and again.
Thomas was already in the kitchen making coffee.
He looked at the screen.
“Guess they noticed something.”
Eleanor’s phone rang while he was speaking.
Mom.
This time, Eleanor answered.
She did not say hello.
Her mother did.
“What did you do?”
The cheerful voice from the previous afternoon was gone.
“What do you mean?” Eleanor asked.
“You know exactly what I mean.”
Eleanor heard movement in the background.
Her father was there too.
“The mortgage transfer didn’t come through,” her mother said.
“Your father checked the account this morning.”
“It won’t be coming through.”
Silence.
Then her mother laughed once, sharply.
“Don’t be ridiculous.”
“I canceled it.”
“For this month?”
“For every month.”
Another silence.
This one lasted longer.
Her father said something in the background Eleanor could not make out.
Her mother covered the phone, answered him, then came back.
“You cannot just stop paying without discussing it with us.”
Eleanor looked at Thomas.
He raised his eyebrows but said nothing.
“I can,” Eleanor replied.
“It’s my money.”
“We depend on that transfer.”
“I know.”
