Chapter 3

My mood lifted with every bite. There was something to be said for spending money on yourself.

For years, I pinched every penny so I could help Lisa out, giving her family everything while keeping nothing for myself. And for all of it, she still looked at me like I wasn't good enough.

Well, those days were over. From now on, I was going to enjoy my retirement.

After dinner, I went to the mall. I bought myself a wine-red wool coat for 1,300 dollars. The color brought out my complexion beautifully.

I stood in front of the mirror and couldn't help but marvel. I wasn't as old as I thought.

I got home around 10:00 pm. When I turned my phone back on, the screen was flooded with missed calls and messages from the whole family.

I didn't need to open them to know what they said. They wanted me to apologize for my behavior.

For years, I swallowed every grievance to keep Lisa's life running smoothly. But they forgot something. I might be a mother, but I was still a person.

And every person deserved their dignity.

The next few days passed without incident. Diane updated her social media daily, each post dripping with how wonderful the trip was.

Before long, the holiday break was over. I met Mr. Patterson at the county clerk's office and we completed the title transfer without a hitch. He wired the remaining 1.15 million dollars right on schedule.

With everything settled, I finally let out a long breath.

Then I booked myself a flight to Costa Bella, departing the next day—the same day Lisa's family was scheduled to come home.

Right on cue, Lisa called. I thought about it for a moment and picked up.

She opened with an apology. "Mom, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said those things to you. I got carried away.

"Please, just let it go. Can we move past this?"

Then my two grandchildren chimed in, their little voices soft and sweet. "Grandma, please forgive Mommy."

Something in my chest softened. I started to second-guess myself. Maybe I took things too far.

She was my daughter, after all. That still meant something.

But then she kept talking, and every doubt vanished.

"Mom, we're coming home tomorrow. We even got you a gift.

"Can you swing by the apartment and clean up a bit? Brandon's parents are going to stay with us for a while.

"Oh, and you know how they are, getting up there, not in the best shape. Give them the master bedroom, would you? We'll make do with the second bedroom for now."

My heart went cold.

"I can't do that. If something goes missing, I'd hate to be the one who has to answer for it."

Lisa went quiet on the other end. Then her voice exploded through the speaker. "Mom, when did you become so impossible to deal with?"

I laughed under my breath. "You know exactly who's being impossible."

I hung up and started packing for Costa Bella.

The next morning, I took a cab to the airport. When the plane touched down, warm tropical air rolled over me the moment I stepped outside. My old girlfriends were already waiting by the arrivals gate, crowding around me the second they spotted me.

The wine-red coat stood out in the crowd. Grace Reels, one of the oldest of our group, grabbed my hand. "It's about time! We rented a beachfront villa this year and saved you a room with an ocean view."

That evening, we gathered on the terrace for a seafood boil. Waves crashed in the distance while we raised our glasses and toasted to being together.

Elaine Hudson set a lobster on my plate and said, "You handled that apartment situation perfectly. Some kids just don't appreciate what they have until it's gone."

Everyone agreed, trading their own stories of ungrateful children and thankless years. I looked up at the stars and felt something loosen in my chest. Letting go of all that weight, all that desperate need to give and give, made life feel so much lighter.

Meanwhile, Lisa's family landed and went straight to Maple Ridge with their luggage in tow. When the elevator doors opened, they found a brand-new security door and a stranger's shoe rack in the hallway.

Brandon checked the unit number over and over. Lisa's hands were shaking as she dialed my number.

I was on a cruise ship with my friends when the call came through.

Lisa was screaming on the other end. "Mom, why is there someone else in our apartment? He's saying the place belongs to him!"

I took a sip of wine and answered calmly, "That's right. I sold it."