Chapter 4

After saying that, Madeline untied her apron and tossed it onto the chair. "I'll bring his things over today. You'd better know what's good for you."

The door slammed shut behind her.

I sat at the dining table and stared at the untouched breakfast. So the apology and the money hadn't been meant to earn my forgiveness. They'd only been meant to soften the blow of what came next.

…

At 3:00 p.m. that afternoon, they returned.

Madeline carried two large suitcases, while Kenneth followed with a cardboard box in his arms.

When he saw me, a hint of unease crossed his face. "Charlie, I'm only staying here temporarily. I'll move out soon."

Madeline set the suitcases down in the middle of the living room. "What do you mean, temporarily? Just make yourself at home. Here's the guest room key."

She held out a set of keys to Kenneth, but he didn't take them. Instead, he looked at me. "Charlie, are you okay with this?"

I ignored him and turned to Madeline. "This is your decision. You don't need to ask me."

Madeline seemed pleased that I knew my place. She helped Kenneth carry his luggage into the guest room while I stayed where I was and watched the door close behind them.

My mother sometimes stayed in that room when she came to visit. I'd replaced the sheets and comforter just last month. They were freshly washed and still smelled like sunshine.

Now they belonged to another man.

…

That evening, I cooked four dishes for dinner but set out only two place settings, one for Madeline and one for me.

When she came out of the room, she glanced at the dining table. "Where's Kenneth's place setting?"

"I didn't make dinner for him."

She frowned. "What do you mean?"

"I mean I'm only responsible for cooking for the two of us. I'm not cooking for an extra person," I explained matter-of-factly.

Kenneth walked out of the guest room just then and overheard me. An awkward look crossed his face. "It's fine. I already ate out."

Madeline's expression darkened. "Charlie, you're doing this on purpose, aren't you?"

"Yes," I said. "I am."

Dinner passed under a strange tension. Madeline and I ate in silence while Kenneth sat on the couch with his phone in hand, occasionally glancing over at us.

After dinner, I carried the dishes into the kitchen, and Madeline followed me.

"You really embarrassed me today," she claimed.

I turned to her. "When you brought another man into our home to live with us, did you ever stop to think about how that made me feel?"

"That's different," she argued. "He needs help."

"So do I," I said.

She froze.

I added, "I need a home without another person living in it. Can you help me with that?"