“I do understand,” I said, a bit of a bitter chuckle slipping out. “I understand that when it was my turn, I was supposed to figure it out on my own, and now that it’s your turn, you’re coming to me. Well, I’m going to do the same thing you did. Figure it out.”
I could hear her sputtering, but I wasn’t done yet yet.
“And as for the money, I think I’ll be keeping it for myself, just in case I ever need to figure something out again.”
The silence on the other end was almost deafening. I could almost picture her speechless, not knowing what to say to that.
And then, just before I hung up, I added one final line.
“Maybe you should have helped me when you had the chance.”
The silence lingered for what felt like an eternity before my Mom finally spoke again. But this time, her voice had lost the pleading tone. It was colder, sharper.
“Well, fine. If you don’t want to help, then we’ll just have to figure it out ourselves.”
I heard the sound of her taking a breath, probably trying to compose herself.
“But don’t think this is the last time we’re going to ask. You’re still family, Jess.”
I wasn’t sure if I was supposed to feel guilty, but honestly, all I felt was a quiet sense of relief. I had finally stood up for myself.
“Yeah, well, good luck,” I said before I ended the call, my hand shaking slightly as I put the phone down.
That night, I didn’t sleep much. It wasn’t because I felt bad. I didn’t.
It was because I felt powerful.
I had said no. I had taken control of the situation. For once, I wasn’t the one on the receiving end of their expectations. For once, I made the rules.
The next few days were tense, though. My mom and dad didn’t call or text me, which felt weird. I was used to their constant check-ins or their passive aggressive guilt trips, but now, nothing.
It was like I had vanished from their radar, and it was exactly what I needed. I didn’t want to deal with with their drama anymore.
Alex, on the other hand, wasn’t as silent. He texted me the day after that conversation.
“Mom and Dad said you’re being stubborn,” he wrote. “I don’t get it. Why can’t you just help them out like they helped you?”
I stared at the text for a while before responding, my fingers hovering over the keyboard.
“Help them out like how? By letting them control me again? I don’t think so.”
He replied almost immediately.
“Wow, Jess. I’m just saying they’ve been there for you. You should be there for them now.”
I wanted to scream, to tell him exactly what I thought of him and his precious little house, but I held back. Instead, I just typed out something simple.
“Maybe if they’d been there for me when I needed it, I’d be more inclined to help.”
There was a pause before he answered again.
“You’re being childish.”
And that was it.
