She glanced at my suitcases.
“Family trouble?”
“Family lesson.”
Tanya smiled carefully.
“Those can be expensive.”
“Usually are.”
Three days later, my phone rang during breakfast.
Jason’s name appeared on the screen.
I answered, and he shouted so loudly that Tanya glanced over from another table.
“How could you do this to me?”
I moved the phone away, waited, then returned it to my ear.
“Good morning, Jason.”
“Emily left. She is at her sister’s. She says I lied to her.”
“Did you?”
“You sent her a letter behind my back.”
“I told your wife the truth. What it cost you was your own doing.”
He breathed heavily.
“You ruined everything.”
“No,” I said. “I stopped helping you hide it.”
He accused me of humiliating him, sabotaging his marriage, and changing my mind.
I let him finish.
“Did you tell a lender that selling my house would provide your down payment?” I asked.
Silence.
“Jason?”
“They needed to know where the money would come from.”
“Did you hire an agent?”
Another silence.
“Answer me.”
“She’s coming tomorrow for photographs.”
I looked at the beige curtains and felt something settle inside me.
“Then I should be there.”
His voice dropped.
“Mom, do not make this worse.”
“I agree. You have already done enough.”
I ended the call and confirmed I would leave when my trial stay finished the next morning.
Mrs. Alvarez drove me home.
Emily was waiting in her car across the street, eyes red but steady.
I had invited her after Jason’s call.
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