Her face changed.
That landed.
I continued.
“They will remember.”
She nodded.
“I know.”
“Good.”
Then I opened the lasagna.
It smelled excellent.
“Any poison?”
She laughed.
“Only salt.”
We ate.
That was the beginning.
Not instant reconciliation.
A beginning.
But I still needed to deal with Ethan.
That night, I called him.
“Come over.”
He arrived ten minutes later.
I did not waste time.
“You knew about the house rules before dinner.”
His face went blank.
Then.
“Vanessa told you.”
“Yes.”
He sat.
“I can explain.”
“I’m listening.”
He rubbed his face.
“She was afraid.”
“Of me?”
“Of you depending on us.”
“So you thought making me pay rent and clean the entire house would prevent dependence.”
“Yes.”
“Did you think it was reasonable?”
Silence.
“Ethan.”
“No.”
“Then why agree?”
He stared at the table.
“Because fighting with Vanessa is exhausting.”
There it was.
Not noble.
Not complicated.
