“I’m managing perfectly fine,” I noted.
“But for how long?” Sarah chimed in. “We found a beautiful community, Sunset Pines. It has medical staff on hand, activities, people your own age. It would be so much safer for you.”
David nodded.
“And Sarah and I could take over the maintenance of this house. We’d keep it in the family. It just makes financial sense. Mom, you need care and we need a home. It’s a win-win.”
The table went silent.
Richard and Linda looked at me expectantly, waiting for me to accept my forced retirement from my own life.
I picked up my wine glass, took a slow sip, and set it back down.
Then I looked right at my son.
“A win-win,” I repeated, letting the words hang in the air.
David nodded, looking relieved.
“Exactly. We’d handle all the upkeep. You wouldn’t have to worry about a thing.”
“I see.”
I folded my hands on the table.
“A few days ago, you stood in my kitchen and told me I was a burden. You told me Sarah felt the same way and you agreed with her.”
Linda gasped softly, her hand fluttering to her chest.
“David, you didn’t.”
David’s face turned bright red.
“Mom, that was out of context. I was just stressed.”
“Context doesn’t erase the truth of how you feel,” I corrected calmly. “You feel I am a burden. You feel this house, which I own, should be yours. You feel my money, which I earned, should fund your lifestyle. And now you feel I should move into an assisted living facility I don’t need just so you can play house without paying a mortgage.”
Sarah’s eyes flashed.
“Teresa, that is completely unfair. We are trying to help you.”
“You are trying to help yourselves,” I countered, my voice never rising above a conversational tone. “But that’s perfectly fine because I agree with you, David.”
He blinked, confused.
“You… You agree?”
“I agree that living together is no longer viable,” I stated.
I reached into the pocket of my cardigan and pulled out a folded piece of paper, placing it gently on the table next to my plate.
“Which is why I signed an agreement with a real estate agent on Friday. The house is going on the market next week.”
The entire table froze.
