PART6 – My Son Texted, “Mom, I Know You Just Bought Us the House, but Sarah’s Dad Says You Can’t Come to Thanksgiving.”

PART 6

Daniel didn’t go home immediately after leaving Margaret’s house.

He drove.

No destination.

Just street after street while the notebook his mother had handed him sat on the passenger seat like it weighed a hundred pounds.

Every red light gave him another chance to look at it.

Every green light gave him another excuse not to.

By sunset, he found himself parked outside a small neighborhood baseball field.

It was empty except for one father teaching his little boy how to throw.

The child missed every catch.

The father never once sounded annoyed.

Instead, he laughed, retrieved the ball, and said, “Again.”

Daniel rested his forehead against the steering wheel.

He hadn’t thought about his own father in years.

Not really.

His father had died eight years earlier.

Heart attack.

Too young.

Too sudden.

Margaret had never been the same afterward.

And yet…

she had somehow found the strength to pay for a wedding, buy a car, cover medical bills, and eventually hand over a house.

He whispered into the empty car.

“What have I done?”

That evening, Sarah was setting the dining room table when Daniel walked in.

“You’ve been ignoring my calls.”

“I know.”

“Did you talk to your mom?”

“Yes.”

“What did she say?”

Daniel hung his jacket on the chair instead of answering.

Sarah crossed her arms.

“Well?”

“She isn’t changing her mind.”

Sarah rolled her eyes.

“Neither are we.”

Daniel looked at her.

“What do you mean?”

“I mean your mother is manipulating everyone.”

“No.”

“Daniel…”

“No.”

His voice was firmer than either of them expected.

“My mother didn’t manipulate anyone.”

Sarah blinked.

“Excuse me?”

“She gave us everything.”

“We never forced her.”

“No.”

He nodded slowly.

“We just never stopped taking.”

Sarah laughed as though he had told a joke.

“Oh, so now you’re blaming us for accepting gifts?”

“I’m blaming myself.”

She frowned.

“Why?”

“Because I stopped seeing them as gifts.”

Sarah stared at him.

For the first time since they’d married…

he wasn’t apologizing before speaking.

Her phone buzzed.

She looked down.

“Dad says his attorney is drafting a response.”

Daniel sighed.

“Of course he is.”

“He says your mother doesn’t have a case.”

Daniel sat quietly.

“You know…”

“What?”

“I’ve noticed something.”

Sarah folded her arms tighter.

“What?”

“Every conversation we’ve had for the last week has included your father.”

“So?”

“So where are we in this?”

Sarah’s expression hardened.

“My father is helping us.”

Daniel nodded.

“My mother helped us.”

“That’s different.”

“How?”

“My father doesn’t expect anything.”

Daniel almost smiled.

“No.”

“He expects everything.”

Sarah’s face reddened.

“You owe my father an apology.”

Daniel shook his head.

“I don’t owe him anything.”

She pointed toward the front door.

“Maybe you should stay with your mother.”

The room fell silent.

She clearly hadn’t meant to say it out loud.

Daniel looked at her for several seconds.

Then he quietly asked,

“Is that what you want?”

Sarah hesitated.

“…No.”

“Then why did you say it?”

“I…”

She couldn’t answer.

For the first time in years…

they ate dinner in silence.

CONTINUE READING PART7…