He opened his mouth.
She didn’t let him interrupt.
“You check the tires on my car when I visit.”
“That’s called helping.”
“You asked my financial adviser to call you if I made a ‘major unusual transaction.’”
Ethan looked at me.
I stared back.
That one was new information.
“You did what?” I asked.
“I was worried someone might scam her.”
Diane laughed once, without humor.
“There it is.”
Ethan’s shoulders dropped.
“Mom, Dad died. You were devastated.”
“Yes.”
“I didn’t know what to do.”
“So you tried to manage me.”
“I tried to protect you.”
“And eventually I stopped knowing the difference.”
That shut him up.
Diane looked toward Malcolm.
“I stayed here two days longer than I wanted.”
Ethan frowned.
“Why?”
“Because if I came home immediately, I knew you would look at me exactly the way you’re looking at me right now.”
