Chapter 10: Mother and Daughter

The camera in the hall was an arm's length from my face, and I stopped caring.

"Britta," I said into the phone. "I have to tell you something, and I'm going to say it plainly."

"Mom, you're scaring me."

"The house is gone."

On the other end there was no sound at all.

"Dad said you downsized."

"Your father said a lot of things."

"He said you found a condo."

"I found a sewing machine and a duffel bag," I said.

"I'm living at a lodge in Door County because it's free. I'm on a dating show because it comes with a bed."

I heard her breathing.

It was a ragged, furious breath, the same one she had made at nine when someone told her she couldn't play hockey.

"Okay," Britta said, very quietly. "Okay. Here's what happens now."

"Britta."

"No. You've been carrying this alone since March. You're done carrying it."

"Honey, there's nothing to do."

"There's a paper you signed. I'm going to read every page of it myself, with a lawyer, and you're going to let me."

I looked at the camera, because I wanted whoever watched it later to hear me say the next thing.

"I'm not ashamed, honey. I was for about a day. I'm done being ashamed. He should be."

My daughter said a word I had not known she knew.

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