Chapter 12: The House Was Not His to Reclaim

Curtis told the luncheon guests he would move his belongings into the house and stay until it sold.

My fingers tightened around the signed listing agreement.

'You can't expect me to leave my own home while strangers decide what it's worth,' Curtis said.

The guests stopped talking.

He had ordered me out in front of them. Now he was telling them he planned to live there again.

'I never said you had to leave before it sold,' I said.

His mouth settled into the smile he used when he wanted a room to blame me for making things awkward.

'You made that rather clear when you signed the papers.'

'I signed because you told me to leave.'

The agreement bent beneath my fingers.

I set it flat before the fold reached my signature.

Curtis looked from the page to me.

'Please stop acting as if the house belongs only to you.'

A guest near the end of the table looked down at her program.

The house was listed for sale, and Curtis still expected me to ask permission to leave it.

I handed the agreement to Bev.

'Keep this safe for me, please.'

Bev took it and slid it into the folder she had brought for the sale papers.

Curtis reached toward her, then stopped when she closed the folder.

'You don't need to turn a family matter into a public dispute,' he said.

'You announced your plans to the room.'

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