A Step Back
“Henry! My son! You’re finally back! I was wrong, I was really wrong! Please forgive me!”
I stepped back, expressionless, avoiding her embrace.
She held her arms out, caught in an awkward pause.
I walked to the coffee table and slammed a file down.
“From the day I was born until I turned eighteen, I calculated every cent you spent on me — food, clothing, tuition, and tutoring.
“The total comes to two hundred thirteen thousand six hundred dollars.”
I pulled a check from my pocket and placed it next to the statement.
“This is three hundred thousand dollars. Keep the change.