“Your mother turned off the upstairs air-conditioning after I specifically told both of you I needed the room for work.”
There was silence.
Susan recognized it immediately.
Richard wasn’t surprised.
He was simply deciding how little effort he could make while still getting the problem to disappear.
“Just turn it back on, Susan.”
“That isn’t the point.”
“Then what is?”
Susan glanced toward Margaret.
Her mother-in-law wasn’t pretending not to listen.
“The point is that your mother believes she can decide when I’m allowed to use utilities in my own house.”
Richard sighed.
“Please don’t say it like that.”
Margaret’s lips curled into a faint, satisfied smile.
Something inside Susan suddenly became calm.
“Did you read the message I sent this morning?”
Another pause.
“Yes.”
“So you knew what she was doing.”
“I knew Mom thought the electric bill was getting too high.”
Susan lowered her voice.
