Not relief.
Irritation.
As though I had kept her waiting.
“We’ve been driving for almost four hours. Open the gate.”
I looked at the truck again.
“What’s in the truck?”
Lauren moved closer to the camera.
“Mom told you.”
“No. Mom texted that you were having problems with your house.”
“Our lease ended.”
Derek called from several feet away.
“The owner sold the place.”
“That doesn’t explain the truck outside my gate.”
Lauren gave me a look I remembered from childhood.
The one that said I was making something unnecessarily difficult.
“We need somewhere to stay for a while.”
“You should probably find one.”
Silence.
My mother leaned toward the speaker.
“Emma.”
“No.”
“You don’t even know what we’re asking.”
“You’re standing outside my house with furniture.”
Derek laughed.
Actually laughed.
Then he pointed toward the main house behind the gate.
“You have more room than you could ever use.”
