Chapter 6 - BRANDON FINALLY PICKED A SIDE
Brandon came to Claire’s townhouse alone.
Margaret stayed upstairs.
Claire did not invite him farther than the living room.
“She hit Mom,” Claire said.
Brandon stared at the floor.
“I know.”
“You stood there.”
“I froze.”
“You’ve apparently been frozen for eight months.”
His face tightened.
“That’s cheap.”
“No. Cheap is taking six hundred dollars a month and making Mom buy your groceries anyway.”
Brandon looked up.
“I used that money for the house.”
“What house expenses?”
“Everything. Repairs. Food. Gas.”
“Receipts.”
“I don’t have receipts for every damn thing.”
“Then statements.”
He rubbed both hands over his face.
Finally he said, “We were underwater.”
Claire waited.
“Vanessa had thirty grand in credit-card debt before I lost my job. I had severance, but it disappeared fast. We were trying not to file bankruptcy.”
“So you stole from Mom.”
“I didn’t steal.”
“What do you call taking money meant for her groceries?”
“I thought I’d put it back.”
Claire laughed without humor.
“You sound twelve.”
Brandon stood.
“You think you’re better because you have money.”
“That isn’t what this is.”
“It’s always what this is.”
His voice rose.
“You bought Mom a house. You send money. You show up with groceries. Everybody gets to say Claire saved the day.”
Claire went still.
That was new.
Not shame.
Resentment.
Brandon continued.
“I stayed with Dad during chemo. I missed work. I took Mom to appointments after he died. Where were you?”
“Working.”
“Exactly.”
Claire felt the accusation because part of it was true.
Brandon had carried more of their father’s final year.
Claire had sent money and flown in on weekends.
She had never believed those things were equal.
“I should’ve been here more,” she said.
Brandon stopped.
“But that doesn’t buy you Mom.”
His face closed again.
Claire continued.
“You don’t get to convert caregiving into ownership.”
Brandon walked toward the door.
Before leaving, he said, “Vanessa thinks you promised us this place eventually.”
Claire stared at him.
“I never promised that.”
“I know.”
He opened the door.
Claire’s skin prickled.
“Does she?”
Brandon did not answer.
He left.
May you like
And Claire suddenly understood why Vanessa had sounded so certain when she called the house hers.
Someone had taught her to believe it.
