Mom smiled warmly.
“With everything Naomi is going through, you shouldn’t be worrying about money. Let me keep handling the finances like I did while you were gone.”
Kendra nodded.
“You’ve got enough stress.”
I almost admired the arrogance.
Almost.
I closed the folder.
“So you want control of the new payment too?”
Mom reached across the table.
“Caleb, I’m your mother.”
There it was.
The sentence people use when they’ve run out of legitimate reasons to deserve your trust.
I leaned back.
“What did you buy with the first ninety thousand?”
The room went silent.
Kendra stopped chewing.
Mom’s smile disappeared.
“What?”
“The money I sent home.”
“I used it for the household.”
“Which household?”
Mom frowned.
“This one.”
I looked around.
“The house Naomi sleeps behind?”
Kendra stood abruptly.
“Oh, here we go.”
I ignored her.
Mom’s voice hardened.
“She chose that arrangement.”
