Chapter 2 - Twenty Minutes
I called Michael Reynolds, my property manager.
Brenda crossed her arms. “You don’t need to involve an outsider.”
“He has more right to be here than you do.”
Her face tightened.
Larry stood. He was a thick man with a red face and the confidence of someone who had spent his life winning arguments by getting louder.
“We’ve already unpacked,” he said.
“Then packing should be easy. Your suitcases are open.”
A few younger relatives tried not to smile.
Larry stepped closer. “You can’t throw a family into the snow on Christmas Eve.”
“It’s December twenty-third.”
“That’s not the point.”
“The point is you entered my house without permission.”
“We had the code.”
“A stolen code does not become permission just because it opens the door.”
Brenda grabbed her phone. “I’m calling Sarah.”
“Please do.”
She walked into the kitchen, speaking in an urgent whisper.
While she talked, I noticed muddy footprints leading upstairs. Someone had opened Robert’s office. Someone else had moved the framed photograph from our last trip together.
My grief had been rearranged for their convenience.
Michael arrived twenty minutes later carrying a leather folder.
He took in the suitcases, the open wine, and the strangers occupying my furniture.
Then he looked at me.
“Do you want them removed?”
“Yes.”
Brenda hurried back. “This is ridiculous. Sarah is on her way.”
“Good,” I said. “She can watch.”
Michael opened the folder on the dining table.
“This property is owned solely by Diane Parker,” he said. “There is no lease, shared title, or occupancy agreement. Mrs. Parker is asking you to leave.”
Larry laughed. “Are you a cop?”
“No.”
“Then you can’t make us do anything.”
Michael remained calm. “I can call Sheriff Dalton. In this county, unauthorized occupancy after an owner orders you to leave is called trespassing.”
Coats appeared quickly after that.
So did excuses.
“We didn’t know.”
“Sarah said it was fine.”
“We thought Diane had agreed.”
Brenda stood frozen beside the tree.
Then her humiliation became anger.
“You’re going to destroy your relationship with your son over a cabin?”
“If my relationship with Jason depends on surrendering my property, we have a bigger problem than a cabin.”
Her eyes flashed.
“You’ll regret this.”
“Get out.”
One by one, they dragged their suitcases into the snow.
Brenda was the last to leave. At the door, she leaned close enough for me to smell Robert’s wine on her breath.
“You have no idea what Sarah has already done.”
Before I could ask what she meant, Larry pulled her outside.
Their cars disappeared down the mountain.
Michael and I stood in the wreckage they left behind.
Then I saw one unopened gift beneath the tree.
It was wrapped in silver paper and addressed to Sarah and Jason.
Beneath their names were four words:
FOR YOUR FUTURE MOUNTAIN HOME.
May you like
Michael read them twice.
Then he looked at me and said, “Diane, we need to check the title.”
