Page 63 of We Were Liars

MUMMY AND I were silent on the walk back to Windemere after supper. Once the door shut behind us, she turned on me. “Why didn’t you back me with your grandfather? Do you want us to lose this house?”

“We don’t need it.”

“I picked the paint, the tiles. I hung the flag from the porch.”

“It’s five bedrooms.”

“We thought we’d have a bigger family.” Mummy’s face got tight. “But it didn’t work out that way. That doesn’t mean I don’t deserve the house.”

“Mirren and those guys could use the room.”

“This is my house. You can’t expect me to give it up because Bess had too many children and left her husband. You can’t think it’s okay for her to snatch it from me. This is our place, Cadence. We’ve got to look out for ourselves.”

“Can you hear yourself?” I snapped. “You have a trust fund!”

“What does that have to do with it?”

“Some people have nothing. We have everything. The only person who used the family money for charity was Gran. Now she’s gone and all anyone’s worried about is her pearls and her ornaments and her real estate.

Nobody is trying to use their money for good.

Nobody is trying to make the world any better. ”

Mummy stood up. “You’re filled with superiority, aren’t you?

You think you understand the world so much better than I do.

I’ve heard Gat talking. I’ve seen you eating up his words like ice cream off a spoon.

But you haven’t paid bills, you haven’t had a family, owned property, seen the world.

You have no idea what you’re talking about, and yet you do nothing but pass judgment. ”

“You are ripping up this family because you think you deserve the prettiest house.”

Mummy walked to the foot of the stairs. “You go back to Clairmont tomorrow. You tell Granddad how much you love Windemere. Tell him you want to raise your own kids spending summers here. You tell him.”

“No. You should stand up to him. Tell him to stop manipulating all of you. He’s only acting like this because he’s sad about Gran, can’t you tell? Can’t you help him? Or get a job so his money doesn’t matter? Or give the house to Bess?”

“Listen to me, young lady.” Mummy’s voice was steely.

“You go and talk to Granddad about Windemere or I will send you to Colorado with your father for the rest of the summer. I’ll do it tomorrow.

I swear, I’ll take you to the airport first thing.

You won’t see that boyfriend of yours again. Understand?”

She had me there.

She knew about me and Gat. And she could take him away.

Would take him away.

I was in love.

I promised whatever she asked.

When I told Granddad how much I adored the house, he smiled and said he knew someday I’d have beautiful children. Then he said Bess was a grasping wench and he had no intention of giving her my house. But later, Mirren told me he’d promised Windemere to Bess.

“I’ll take care of you,” he’d said. “Just give me a little time to get Penny out.”