“I wasn’t broke,” I said. “I was paying the rent and tuition with overtime.”
They both glanced away.
I slipped a thin folder from my bag. “I’m not here to replay that night,” I said. “I’m here about the house.”
“Mr. Greene hasn’t found a buyer yet,” Mom replied.
“He has,” I said. “Me.”
“You bought this place?” Mia burst out. “With nurse money?”
“Tech money,” I corrected. “I left nursing for a healthcare-software company, stuck with it, and when we went public, I did well.” I kept it brief. “When Mr. Greene decided to sell, he offered it to the only person who’d ever paid on time.”
A flush crept up Mom’s neck. “So now you’re rich and want revenge on your own family?”
“If I wanted revenge, I’d send a lawyer,” I said. “I came because I need clean edges.”
Inside the folder were two documents. I placed them on the porch railing. “First is a one-year lease at market rate, with a security deposit due in thirty days. If you sign and pay on time, you can stay. Second is notice that I’ll put the house on the market if you move. I need an answer in two weeks.” Home
