Barbara ignored it.

Eventually she heard the elevator.

Then footsteps.

Then three hard knocks.

“Barbara!”

Harper.

Another knock.

“Barbara, open the door.”

Barbara crossed the living room calmly and opened it.

Harper stood in the hallway, flushed with anger.

Behind her were Catherine, Richard, and Daniel.

Catherine looked uncomfortable.

Richard looked annoyed.

Daniel looked twelve years old.

Harper stepped forward.

“What is going on?”

Barbara leaned against the doorframe.

“I was about to ask you the same thing.”

“We discussed this.”

“No.

You informed me.”

“Barbara, please.”

That came from Daniel.

She looked at him.

He couldn’t hold her gaze.

Catherine finally spoke.

“Barbara, perhaps there’s been a misunderstanding.”

“Yes,” Barbara replied.

“There has.”

Catherine relaxed slightly.

Barbara continued.

“You believed you were staying in my home.”

Catherine’s smile disappeared.

Harper folded her arms.

“My parents were told they could use the condo.”

“By whom?”

“Daniel and me.”

Barbara nodded.

“That’s interesting.”

Richard shifted impatiently.

“Look, Barbara, nobody is trying to create drama.”

Barbara almost laughed.

Whenever Richard said he hated drama, someone else was usually being asked to surrender.

“We’ve driven six hours,” he continued.

“If there’s some issue, surely we can resolve it like adults.”

“There is an excellent hotel two miles north.”

Harper stared at Barbara.

“You cannot be serious.”

“I am.”

“We have luggage.”

“Hotels accept luggage.”

Catherine touched Harper’s arm.

“Maybe we should just—”

“No.”

Harper pulled away.

“No, Mom.

This is ridiculous.”

Her eyes returned to Barbara.

“We’re family.”

Barbara nodded slowly.

“Yes.”

“Then why are you acting like this?”

Something inside Barbara nearly answered automatically.

I’m sorry.

She felt the words rise from decades of habit.

Then she stopped them.

She had apologized for other people’s entitlement long enough.

“Because this is my home.”

Harper laughed sharply.

“For now.”

The hallway became silent.

Daniel’s face changed.

“Harper.”

Barbara’s eyes narrowed.

“What did you say?”

Harper glanced at Daniel.

He shook his head slightly.

Too late.

Harper lifted her chin.

“I said Daniel is going to inherit it eventually.”

Barbara stared at her.

“So?”

“So pretending he has no say whatsoever is absurd.”

Daniel stepped between them.

“Okay.

Everyone needs to calm down.”

Barbara didn’t look at him.

“Do you believe that?”

“Mom—”

“Do you believe my property belongs partly to you because you may inherit it someday?”

Daniel rubbed the back of his neck.

“Nobody said that.”

“Your wife just did.”

“That isn’t exactly what she meant.”

Harper turned toward him.

“Yes, it is.”

Daniel closed his eyes briefly.

Barbara almost pitied him.

Almost.

Harper continued.

“We have spent years helping maintain this place.”

Barbara blinked.

“You hired a cleaning woman twice.”

“We’ve paid association fees.”

Daniel’s head jerked toward Harper.

“No, we haven’t.”

Harper stared at him.

Barbara noticed.

So did Richard.

A strange stillness entered the hallway.

Barbara spoke carefully.

“What association fees?”

Harper recovered.

“I meant generally.

Expenses.

Improvements.”

“I pay every expense associated with this property.”

Harper’s confidence flickered.

Then she made a mistake.

She said, “That isn’t what the paperwork says.”

Daniel went pale.

Barbara felt something cold move through her.

“What paperwork?”

Nobody answered.

Barbara looked at her son.