If you leave now, you are abandoning us when your sister and the children need you most.
I hope you can live with that.
Mom stared at her own words.
“I was emotional,” she said.
“You were effective,” Grandpa replied.
Her eyes filled again.
“I cannot believe you are doing this to us in front of everyone.”
The sentence landed exactly the way it always did.
Suddenly, the problem was not what had happened.
The problem was that someone had spoken about it.
I felt the familiar urge to apologize.
Grandpa looked at me before I could.
“Do not say you’re sorry.”
Dad pushed his chair aside.
“He is not a victim.
He has a roof over his head.”
“In the basement,” Grandpa said.
“It is finished.”
“It floods near the laundry room,” I said.
Dad stared at me.
That detail had never seemed important enough to mention before.
The water only came in during heavy rain, and I had learned to keep my belongings off the floor.
Grandma looked horrified.
“You charge him eight hundred dollars for that room?”
“It is not just for the room,” Mom said.
“It helps with food, electricity, the mortgage—everything.”
“He buys his own food,” Grandpa reminded her.
“He still uses the kitchen.”
Claire made an impatient sound.
“This is ridiculous.
Ethan has a job.
I have children.”
Grandpa turned toward her.
“You keep saying that as though having children makes your brother responsible for your expenses.”
“I never asked him for money.”
“No,” I said.
“You asked Mom and Dad.
Then they asked me.”
Claire’s eyes narrowed.
“What is that supposed to mean?”
“It means every time something costs more upstairs, my rent suddenly cannot be late.”
Dad slapped the chair back with his hand.
“Watch yourself.”
For the first time, I did not flinch.
Grandpa saw that too.
“What happens when Ethan pays late?” he asked.
“Nothing,” Dad said.
I kept my eyes on the table.
“Ethan?” Grandpa prompted.
“They shut off the internet to the basement once.”
Grandma whispered, “Why?”
“I was four days late because my car needed repairs.”
Dad gave a humorless laugh.
“You are twenty-six years old.
Actions have consequences.”
Grandpa’s gaze became cold.
