About time the boring half got trimmed.
So Caleb knew too.
That was enough.
One by one, I canceled the flights, the resort, the airport transfer, and the dinner reservation. By the time the final confirmation arrived, the trip no longer existed.
Then I called the property manager. The lease was in my name. The house was paid for by me. Vanessa, Caleb, and Mariah had treated it like theirs because they never had to carry the cost.
By that night, the locks were reset, Caleb’s parking access was canceled, Vanessa’s authorized-user card was removed, and the rent renewal was declined.
The next morning, Ethan and Ava sat at the kitchen table eating pancakes in their pajamas. Ava’s flamingo list was beside her plate.
I told them the trip had changed because some adults had made selfish choices. I made sure they knew it was not their fault.
Ethan looked at me and asked, “Is she mad because of us?”
I put down the syrup and looked both of my children in the eyes.
