That was when Barbara opened the car door.
“Morning.”
Eric froze.
“Mom?”
She walked toward him.
“You wanted your own life.”
She pointed toward the boxes.
“I’m done storing it for you.”
Eric stared at her.
“You came here at six in the morning for this?”
“No.”
Barbara reached into her purse.
“The boxes are the easy part.”
She removed an envelope.
Tessa stopped smiling.
Eric crossed his arms.
“What is that?”
“Formal notice that our housing arrangement is changing.”
Tessa frowned.
“What housing arrangement?”
Barbara looked at her.
“The one where Eric rents this house from me.”
Tessa slowly turned toward him.
“Rents?”
Eric went pale.
“Mom.”
Barbara continued.
“I bought this property when Eric couldn’t qualify for the mortgage.”
Tessa stared at him.
“You told me you owned this house.”
Eric snapped:
“Can everybody stop talking?”
Nobody did.
Barbara held out the envelope.
