I leaned against the window and watched cars moving through the hotel parking lot below.
“Then we have a bigger problem than last night,” I said.
Mom tried to recover.
“That’s not what I meant.”
“It’s exactly what you meant.”
Bethany started crying.
Not loud, theatrical sobbing this time.
Just angry, breathless crying.
“What am I supposed to do now?”
It was the first real question she had asked.
Not what did you do.
Not how could you.
What am I supposed to do?
“I don’t know,” I said.
She stopped crying long enough to say, “What?”
“I don’t know.
Talk to the school.
Look at financial aid.
Find a cheaper place.
Get a roommate.
Ask what options you have.”
“You know I can’t qualify for that apartment alone.”
“I know.”
“You know Mom can’t guarantee it.”
Mom said, “Bethany.”
But the truth was already in the room.
Bethany had not been standing on her own with a little help from me.
I had been the floor.
The tuition money came from me.
The strength behind the lease came from me.
The emergency car money had come from me.
And somewhere along the way, help had hardened into entitlement so completely that withdrawing it felt to Bethany like theft.
“You set me up,” she said.
That one surprised me.
“How?”
“You waited until I needed you and then pulled everything.”
“I didn’t wait for anything.
I was still helping you when you walked across my wedding reception and threw a drink on me.”
“You think money means you can control people.”
“No.
I think my money means I can control my money.”
Silence again.
Emily was awake now.
She sat against the headboard, watching me without interrupting.
Bethany muttered something I couldn’t hear.
Then Dad’s voice appeared farther away.
Apparently he had walked into the room while we were talking.
“What’s going on?” he asked.
Mom said, “Your children are destroying this family over money.”
I closed my eyes.
Even now: both children.
Shared blame.
Shared responsibility.
A conflict floating in space without an origin.
Bethany spoke first.
“They cancelled my tuition money and pulled out of my lease because of last night.”
