Chapter 2

On the way to my parents' place, I didn't pick up a single call.

David called six times. On the seventh, my mom answered, "David? Hazel just got home. She looks upset. Did you two have a fight?"

I heard David laugh on the other end. "No, Elaine, it's nothing. Hazel's just in a mood. I'll come pick her up later."

My mom looked at me. I shook my head.

She paused for a second, then said, "Maybe come a little later. Let her cool off for a bit."

After she hung up, she sat down next to me. "So what really happened?"

I told her everything about the access list.

My mom slammed her fork down on the table. "Eight spots, and they left you out?"

My dad poked his head out of the kitchen. "Who? Hazel's spot?"

"The new house access. David put in his whole family and his relatives. But not Hazel," my mom said.

My dad yanked off his apron. "What the hell?"

"Dad, hold on," I said.

"How can I hold on? Who put down the 160,000 dollars? Who's been paying the mortgage every month? And he couldn't even add your name to the door?" my dad snapped.

My mom held him back. "Let her talk first."

I took a sip of water. "He said the slots were full and told me to wait."

"Wait? For what? For him to kick you out?" My dad's voice rose.

I didn't say anything.

At eight that night, David still hadn't come to get me. He sent a WhatsApp message. It read: [We'll talk tomorrow. My mom's staying at the new place tonight. I'm helping her get settled.]

I read it and turned off my phone.

*****

The next morning, my mom borrowed a phone from a neighbor and called me. "Linda posted on her social feed last night. You should see it."

I opened X and scrolled to Linda's page.

There was a photo of the new living room. Richard, Linda, Michael, and Leah sat on the sofa. The caption read: [First night in our new home. The whole family together. Feels great.]

The whole family together. But no access for me. No place for me. And I wasn't even in her social feed family photo.

Under the post, Susan wrote: [Beautiful house. David's really made something of himself.]

Linda replied: [All my son's doing.]

I stared at that line for a long time. All her son's doing? Out of the 160,000-dollar down payment, how much did he actually chip in? Zero.

*****

On the third day, Michael and Leah moved two large suitcases into the new house. I heard about it from the property manager.

When I bought the place, I had added the manager, Flora Foster, on WhatsApp. She'd always been very nice.

"Ms. Reed, two young people moved some luggage into your house today. They said they were the owner's brother and sister-in-law. Did you know about this?" Flora asked.

My hand was shaking as I held my phone. "Ms. Foster, which room are they staying in?" I asked.

"Looks like the second bedroom," she replied.

The second bedroom. The room I had planned to turn into a study. I'd even picked out a solid wood bookshelf for it, costing 600 dollars.

I took a deep breath. "Ms. Foster, thank you for letting me know."

"Of course. Let me know if you need anything," she said.

After I hung up, I sat on the bed at my parents' place and stared at the ceiling.

David still hadn't called. He hadn't even asked me to come back.

My mom pushed the door open and walked in with a plate of pasta. "Eat something."

I took the plate. "Mom, you remember the deed, right?"

"Of course. Just your name on it. Linda made a fuss back then, wanted David's name added, but your dad said no," she said.

"Right," I replied.

"What are you planning?" she asked.

I took a bite of pasta. "Just waiting."

My mom looked at me and didn't push. She knew how I operated.

I wasn't waiting for David and his family to come around. I was waiting for them to cut off every way back.