Page 129 of Take It Offline

Well, I’m glad they’re uncomfortable. They should be.

“I had an interesting conversation with Harvey the other day. My birthday, as it happens, which was nice timing. The conversation was equally pleasant.”

They share a guilty look. Mom’s eyes are rimmed with red, and Dad’s mouth is tugged down. At least they know why I’m here. Surely they saw this coming.

“Is this an intervention?” my dad asks, straightening. “Honestly, Emma?—”

“Dad, I’m sorry, but I’m going to need you to be quiet and listen for a change.”

His mouth clicks shut.

I work hard to balance the benefits I’ve been given. I started in a position higher than most get to. Now I want to make sure I live a life worthy of what we were given for free.

And I’m going to start by ripping away the rose-colored glasses from my parents’ eyes.

“You’re selling the house.”

“I don’t think—” Dad starts, but I raise my hand to stop him.

“I’m done asking. Harvey has already found a realtor he trusts, and I won’t leave until you’ve signed the paperwork. You should have done this five years ago. I did everything I could to make sure you could stay because you promised you’d be more careful, but you broke that promise. Now you don’t have a choice.”

I’m angry. Furious. At them, at Roberts, at Charlie. I’ll be setting all those issues to rights, but first things first. “I can’t believe you lied to me. After everything we went through last time.”

“But—” Mom starts.

“No. No more buts. No more excuses. Don’t tell me it’s just one party. You know it’s more than that. It’s trips to wineries. It’s paying for lunches with your friends. The tennis club you never visit and high-risk investments you can’t afford.”

Dad frowns. “I never invest anything without Harvey’s go-ahead.”

“Yes, because I asked him to do that. Someone needs to make sure you don’t bankrupt yourselves.”

“Emma, please. We’re trying.”

They are. It’s what makes this so frustrating. “I know you are, but it’s not enough.”

“It’s not easy to adjust after a lifetime of living a certain way. It’s been hard enough confining ourselves to this house, hardly ever going out or seeing friends. So many rooms are bare. It feels like we’re living with ghosts.”

“And I’m sorry about that. I can imagine it’s difficult. I hate seeing this house so empty. I miss it just as much as you do. I love this house. It’s why Harvey and I have been working so hard to keep it.”

Suddenly, Dad’s hand is on mine. “Your watch is gone.”

I blink back the tears. They know how much it meant to me. What it means that I’m not wearing it.

Eyes wide, he leans back in his chair and blows out a shaky breath. “Darling, you shouldn’t have done that.”

I swallow past the lump in my throat. “You didn’t really give me a choice. If I didn’t, the hire company would have sued the foundation for lack of payment.”

“I’m going to wring Vi’s neck,” Mom says.

It takes more energy than I’d like to admit to keep my voice even. “Violet isn’t the problem.”

Mom raises her brow, and for a moment, it’s so like the way Charlie challenges me that I have to look away.

“I’ll rephrase,” I say. “Violet isn’t blameless, and frankly, I’d be happy to listen to you berate her. But the real issue is that you agreed to the party in the first place. That you’re both still acting as though you have an endless supply of money when we all know that isn’t true. It’s gone, and it’s past time to stop pretending otherwise.”

“You’re right,” she says, lowering her head and wiping at her eyes. “Oh, honey. I wish you’d come here before you’d given up your nana’s watch.”

In my darkest moments, I sour with the urge to punish them, become the reflection of their treatment toward me, and maybe it’s earned.

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