“It’s quiet,” she said.
“It is.”
“No one is going to tell me I’m taking up too much space?”
I turned toward her.
“Mom, this is your home.”
She smiled.
Then she whispered, “I know.”
That was when I realized how deeply one cruel person can make others question whether they deserve peace.
And how beautiful it is to finally give that peace back.
I heard through mutual friends that Brandon’s family eventually drifted apart.
Without access to my income and my willingness to solve every crisis, old arguments became impossible to ignore.
Lucas blamed Brandon.
Liam blamed Susan.
Susan blamed everyone else.
And Brandon, apparently, still blamed me.
For leaving.
For exposing the transfers.
For “destroying his family.”
But I no longer cared what story he told.
Because I knew the truth.
I didn’t destroy anything.
I stopped allowing myself to be used to hold together something built on lies.
