I paid it for six months.
Then, one Sunday evening, Tyler dropped another piece of paper right next to my dinner plate.
«Starting next month, it’s going to be twelve hundred.»
I stared right at him. «Twelve hundred dollars?»
He kept his eyes glued to the paper. «Expenses have gone up.»
Across the kitchen island, my daughter-in-law, Jessica, suddenly found it fascinating to wipe down the counter.
I glanced through the sliding glass door out toward the backyard. Her mother, Barbara, was sitting by the pool, casually sipping iced tea. Barbara had the downstairs suite complete with a private bathroom, a walk-in closet, French doors opening right onto the patio, and a designated garage space just because she couldn’t stand getting into a sun-baked car.
Meanwhile, I had one tiny upstairs room, parked on the street, bought the bulk of the groceries, cooked several nights a week, walked their aging golden retriever, and stayed home waiting for contractors whenever Tyler and Jessica were slammed at work.
«How much is Barbara paying now?» I asked.
Jessica spun around. «My mother is family.»
For a second, nobody breathed. I looked straight at my son. «And what exactly am I?»
Tyler barely flinched. «Mom, don’t make this a whole dramatic thing.»
«I asked you a simple question.»
«This is our house. We call the shots here.»
«Then answer me. Why am I paying twelve hundred dollars while Barbara pays nothing?»
Jessica crossed her arms defensively. «My mother’s financial situation is totally different.»
«She sold her house last year.»
«That money is tied up in investments.»
«So?»
Tyler shoved the paper closer to me. «We are not discussing Barbara.»
«We are right now.»
His jaw clenched hard. «Mom, if you don’t like my rules, find somewhere else to live.»
I studied him for a few long seconds. Then I folded the paper in half and set it right back down beside my plate.
«All right.»
Tyler let out a breath, looking genuinely relieved that the argument was over.
He had no idea how seriously I was about to take him.
