My mom looked at me for a second, but instead of the usual warmth in her expression, there was this almost flatness. It was hard to put my finger on it first, but something was off.
My dad was sitting there too, half paying attention, his eyes glued to his phone as always. He didn’t even look up when I spoke. Mom side then looked at Dad like she was waiting for him to say something.
When he didn’t, she finally spoke.
“No, Jess. That’s not going to work.”
I froze for a second.
“What do you mean?” I asked, trying to keep my voice steady.
“It’s Alex’s place now,” she said almost dismissively. “HEK the one who’s staying there. You need to figure something else out.”
I could feel my chest tighten. It was one thing to hear that from my brother, but coming from my mom, and Dad just sat there staring at his phone, acting like I wasn’t even talking.
I didn’t know what to say. My mouth went dry, and I tried to keep my cool.
“I don’t need to stay forever, just for a little while. I’d be really careful, I promise. It’s just temporary while I get back on track.”
My mom’s face didn’t soften. She crossed her arms, leaning back in her chair.
“No, Jess. It’s not happening.”
“But why? What’s the big deal?” I pressed, genuinely confused. This was family, right? I thought we were supposed to help each other out.
My dad finally looked up from his phone.
“It’s Alex’s house now. You should be more independent.”
I blinked, feeling the sting of his words. It wasn’t like I wasn’t trying to be independent. I just needed a little help, a little space to breathe. But no, this was apparently where the line was drawn.
