“We’re married.”
“Yes.”
“That makes it our home.”
“Home.”
I nodded.
“Not ownership.”
His jaw tightened.
“You can’t throw me out.”
“I can start the process.”
Eleanor stepped forward.
“This is my son’s house.”
“No.”
“He is your husband.”
“Yes.”
“That means half belongs to him.”
“No.”
She stared.
I almost felt sorry for her ignorance.
Almost.
“I purchased this property three years before the marriage.”
I continued.
“The deed has never changed.”
Daniel looked away.
He knew.
Eleanor looked at him.
“You told me this was your house.”
Daniel said nothing.
Her face changed.
“Daniel?”
He rubbed his forehead.
“Mom.”
“You said it was yours.”
“I live here.”
“That is not what you said.”
I almost smiled.
Interesting.
The first crack had appeared.
At 6:18, Daniel’s phone rang.
He looked at the screen.
Then at me.
“Why is my card declining?”
I took another sip of water.
“What?”
“My card.”
He opened his banking app.
“What did you do?”
“I removed you from my credit account.”
His face went white.
“You canceled my card?”
“Yes.”
“You can’t.”
“I just did.”
“My car payment is due today.”
“I know.”
He stared.
“Did you stop it?”
“Yes.”
“Mariana.”
“Yes?”
“You promised to pay that.”
“No.”
“You did.”
“I agreed to help while we were functioning as a married couple.”
His voice rose.
“We are married.”
“You watched your mother assault me.”
“I told you she went too far.”
“Then blamed me.”
“I was tired.”
“You shrugged.”
He stared.
“You said it grows back.”
His face reddened.
“That was not permission for you to blow up our finances.”
“Our finances?”
I almost laughed.
“Your car is in your name.”
He said nothing.
“Your golf membership is in your name.”
Silence.
“Your private debt is in your name.”
Silence.
“I have been paying it.”
“For us.”
“For you.”
Eleanor stepped in.
“You are punishing him.”
“No.”
I looked at her.
“I am stopping.”
That word confused her.
“Stopping what?”
“Carrying both of you.”
She stared.
At 6:55, a police cruiser pulled into the driveway.
Eleanor’s confidence disappeared.
Completely.
“Mariana.”
She whispered my name now.
