“Why didn’t you tell me this four years ago?”
“I thought making sure the paperwork was right was enough.”
“And then?”
“Then life happened.”
She smiled sadly.
“We became exactly the kind of family I thought I was protecting you from.”
I shook my head.
“Not exactly.”
“Close enough.”
“No.”
I looked at her.
“There is a difference between becoming careless and becoming cruel.”
She absorbed that.
Then she nodded.
“I’ll take careless.”
“It isn’t a compliment.”
“I know.”
We sat quietly.
Finally she said, “Daniel thinks you’re going to demand the money and buy the townhouse.”
“I haven’t decided.”
“I think you should.”
Her answer surprised me.
“You do?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because you lit up when you talked about the patio.”
I smiled.
“You noticed that?”
“Maggie, I lived with you for four years. I notice more than you think.”
“That is debatable.”
“Fair.”
We both laughed.
Then she looked at the email again.
“There is one thing Daniel hasn’t told you.”
My smile disappeared.
“About the money?”
“Not exactly.”
“What?”
She hesitated.
“He met with a lender yesterday.”
“To refinance?”
“Yes.”
“He told me.”
“He didn’t tell you what they said.”
