“I’m treating someone who entered my house without permission like someone who doesn’t get to keep a key.”
My brother’s wife looked down.
The blonde woman moved toward the front door.
My mother stayed where she was.
“After everything we’ve done for you—”
I laughed once, softly.
She stopped.
“That’s exactly the problem,” I said.
“You haven’t done everything for me.
You did things for the children who asked.
I learned not to ask.
Then you decided that meant I didn’t need anything.
Now you’ve decided it means I don’t get to keep what I earn either.”
“This is about a baby.”
“No.
This is about my house.”
“Your brother is struggling.”
“Then he can talk to me.
You don’t get to solve his problems with my property.”
Her lips tightened.
“You always think you’re better than everyone because you do everything alone.”
That hurt more than I wanted it to.
But I didn’t retreat.
“I do everything alone because everyone got comfortable watching me do it.”
The room went quiet.
My brother’s wife stood.
She looked at me.
“We won’t move in.
I wouldn’t have come if I’d known.”
Then she turned toward my mother.
“You should have told us.”
My mother’s expression changed.
The anger didn’t disappear, but something else appeared beneath it.
Embarrassment.
She had expected me to be the difficult one in the room.
Instead, everyone was looking at her.
Slowly, she reached into her handbag.
She placed the key on the table.
I picked it up.
“Are there copies?”
“No.”
I didn’t believe her enough to rely on that answer.
“I’m changing the locks anyway.”
Her eyes widened.
“You’re serious?”
“Yes.”
“Over one misunderstanding?”
I looked at the camera above the hallway.
“I have the misunderstanding recorded.”
She went pale again.
The blonde woman left first.
My brother’s wife followed after quietly apologizing once more.
My mother remained for several seconds near the doorway, waiting for me to soften.
Normally, I would have.
I would have worried about how she’d describe the argument to my father.
I would have imagined my brother’s reaction.
