He was quiet.
“And when I die,” I said, “it goes to Chloe and Caleb. In trust. Lorraine’s already done the paperwork.”
Daniel looked at the porch for a long time.
“Not to me,” he said.
“Not to you,” I said.
“Why?”
I handed him my mug.
Harold’s blue mug. With the Earl Grey. Still warm.
“Because you’d sell it,” I said. “Within a year. For the money. You’d put in granite and gray floors and cut down the pecan tree for a pool.”
Daniel didn’t argue.
He knew I was right.
“Chloe won’t,” I said. “She read the sign. Out loud. The first time she saw it.”
I set up college funds for the grandchildren. Full rides. Anywhere they want to go.
I paid off Daniel and Renee’s second mortgage.
Not as a gift. As a loan. With no interest. Payable whenever they can. Lorraine drew it up.
