Chapter 21 - HELEN COMES TO MY OFFICE
My mother arrived without appointment.
Reception called.
“Your mother is here.”
Of course.
I met her in a conference room.
No children.
No home.
No stage.
She looked tired.
“Your father may have to sell.”
“The neighboring property?”
“Our house.”
I felt something.
Guilt.
Then anger at the guilt.
“Why?”
“Cash flow.”
“Dad has retirement assets.”
“He doesn’t want to liquidate at a loss.”
“That is a choice.”
“He’s sixty-nine.”
“And?”
“You would make your parents move?”
“I’m not making you.”
“You stopped the money.”
“Yes.”
She stared.
“After everything we did for you.”
There.
Again.
“What did you do, Mom?”
Her face crumpled.
“I raised you.”
The sentence landed differently than she intended.
“Is that a bill?”
She slapped the table.
“No!”
Then she realized.
Quiet.
I continued:
“You and Dad raised me. You loved me. You helped me when my company was struggling.”
“Yes.”
“I loved you. I helped you when your finances struggled.”
She cried.
“Then why does yours count as a debt and mine count as obligation?”
She had no answer.
For the first time, I saw not a villain.
A seventy-year-old woman whose identity depended on being needed.
May you like
I understood.
Still no allowance.
