PART 6

The moving company arrived five days later.

Three large trucks pulled into the driveway.

That got everyone’s attention.

Barbara stepped outside wearing a silk robe and sunglasses.

“What is happening?”

I continued walking toward the moving truck.

“I’m moving.”

She laughed.

“You’re actually doing it?”

“Yes.”

“I thought this was just some emotional reaction.”

“No.”

She lowered her sunglasses.

“Where are you going?”

“Home.”

Her expression changed.

“You sold your condo.”

“I bought another home.”

Barbara stared at me.

“You did?”

“Yes.”

“How much?”

I smiled.

“That’s private.”

She scoffed.

“Don’t be ridiculous.”

“I’ve never been more serious.”

Tyler came outside.

“Mom, we need to talk.”

“We already did.”

“No, we didn’t.”

He stepped closer.

“You can’t just leave like this.”

I looked at him.

“Why not?”

“Because you’re my mother.”

“And?”

“You’re supposed to be here.”

“Why?”

He opened his mouth.

Then closed it.

I waited.

Finally, he said,

“Because you’re family.”

I looked toward the downstairs suite.

Then back at him.

“That’s interesting.”

He frowned.

“What?”

“I thought family was only supposed to matter when it was convenient.”

His face reddened.

“Mom, that’s unfair.”

“Is it?”

I turned toward the movers.

“Please take the boxes from the upstairs bedroom first.”

Tyler grabbed my arm.

Not hard.

But enough.

“Mom.”

I looked down at his hand.

He immediately released me.

“I’m sorry.”

I nodded.

“Thank you.”

He looked devastated.

“Can we please talk?”

I looked at my son.

Really looked at him.

The little boy who used to fall asleep against my shoulder.

The teenager whose graduation gown I had ironed.

The young man whose wedding suit I had helped pay for.

The son whose landscaping business I had helped save with $20,000.

And standing in front of me now was a man who had looked at his grieving mother and decided she could afford to pay rent.

I felt something inside me finally break.

Not my love for him.

Something different.

The belief that loving someone meant tolerating everything they did.

“Tyler,” I said softly.

“I love you.”

His eyes filled with tears.

“But I will never again confuse love with permission to mistreat me.”

He stared at me.

I walked away.

Behind me, Barbara whispered something to Jessica.

I couldn’t hear the words.

But I heard Jessica say,

“She’ll be back.”

I stopped.

I turned around.

“No,” I said.

“I won’t.”

Then I got into my car.

And drove away.

For the first time since William died, I wasn’t driving away from something.

I was driving toward something.

My own life.

But I didn’t know yet that leaving the house would only be the beginning.

Because three weeks later, Tyler discovered something about the property I had purchased.

And when he did, he made a phone call that changed everything.

CONTINUE FOR NEXT PART….