Chapter 7 - The Ultimatum
I walked back into the living room. Daniel and Vanessa were sitting at opposite ends of the sofa, wrapped in a suffocating silence.
I pulled up a dining chair and sat directly across from them.
"I just spoke with Lily," I said. "She is terrified. You two have completely failed to protect your children from your own dysfunction."
Both of them flinched.
"Here is what is going to happen," I continued, pulling out a legal pad I kept in the desk. "I am not going to evict you today. I am not going to put my grandchildren on the street."
Vanessa let out a shaky breath, closing her eyes in relief.
"However," I raised my voice slightly, cutting off any assumption of a total pardon. "The free ride is over. The secrets are over."
I laid out the terms clearly and coldly.
"First, the house goes on the market next spring. The market is good, and it will sell quickly. I will recoup my original investment of one hundred and eighty thousand dollars, plus every penny I have spent on the mortgage over the last three years."
Daniel nodded quickly. "Of course, Mom. That's fair."
"Second," I looked at Vanessa. "If there is any equity left over after the sale and paying off the bank, you two will use it to buy a house you can actually afford. A smaller house. In a normal neighborhood. You will live within your means."
Vanessa looked down at her hands. "I... I can look for a job," she murmured. "I used to do marketing before the kids."
It was the first time I had ever heard her offer to work. I nodded slowly.
"That would be a very good idea, Vanessa. Because starting January first, you are paying me rent. The exact amount of the mortgage. If you miss a single payment between now and when the house sells, I will formally evict you. No second chances."
"We can do that," Daniel said, sitting up straighter. "I just got a promotion, Mom. We can swing the payments if we cut back."
"You will have to," I agreed.
Then I leaned forward, resting my elbows on my knees, looking Vanessa dead in the eye.
"And finally, the respect in this family is going to change. You will never belittle me again. You will never mock my clothes, my background, or my presence. If you do, I will walk away, and you will never see a dime or a favor from me for the rest of your lives. Are we clear?"
Vanessa met my gaze. The arrogance that had defined her for five years was burned away, leaving behind a humbled, frightened woman who had finally hit rock bottom.
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"We're clear, Helen," she whispered. "I am... I am so sorry. For everything."
I didn't know if I fully believed her yet. But it was a start.
