Edward stepped toward me.
“Mom, where are we supposed to go?”
“You are forty-two years old.”
“That doesn’t answer my question.”
“No, Edward. For the first time in your life, I am allowing you to answer it yourself.”
His expression changed.
I saw anger first.
Then disbelief.
Finally, something close to shame.
Linda slammed her palm against the table.
“We put our savings into this move!”
I looked at her.
“What savings?”
Edward’s expression immediately warned her to stop.
I noticed.
“What is she talking about?”
Linda turned toward him.
“She deserves to know.”
“Linda, don’t.”
“Know what?” I asked.
Linda looked back at me.
“We paid off Edward’s business debt.”
I stared at my son.
“What business?”
Edward slowly lowered himself into his chair.
For the past year, he had apparently invested in a construction partnership with one of Linda’s cousins.
The project failed before the first building was completed.
Edward had personally guaranteed several of the loans.
Rather than tell me, he used nearly all of their savings to cover the debt.
The story about needing somewhere temporary to stay had not been the whole truth.
They had given up their previous place because they could no longer comfortably afford it.
And instead of telling me they were in serious financial trouble, Edward had allowed Linda to believe my house would become their permanent solution.
Worse, three weeks before moving in, he had contacted Gabriella to ask whether someone could be added to the deed without my participation.
I looked at my son across the dining table where I had served him dinner countless times throughout his life.
Suddenly, the entire evening made sense.
Linda’s confidence had not appeared from nowhere.
Edward had fed it.
He had allowed her to believe my home was already becoming theirs.
He had remained silent when she tried to claim my bedroom.
He remained silent when she ordered me outside.
And until Gabriella’s name came through the phone, he had apparently believed I would continue doing what I had always done.
Sacrifice.
Forgive.
And make his problems easier.
The renovation story had been a lie.
