Page 49 of No Time for Traditions

“Yes, I’m fine.”

“Why haven’t you called?”

Brittany rolled her eyes and lay back on her pillow. “I’ve been busy, that’s all.”

“Right. With your new promotion, which I had to find out about from your brother.”

And there it was. Brittany closed her eyes and gritted her teeth. Her mom was a loving, compassionate woman most of the time. But the times she wasn’t were brutal. Sarah didn’t like not knowing things, especially when it came to her kids.

“Mama, I’m sorry. Scott and I were already texting, and he asked how work was going.”

“Well, had you taken the time to answer my text, I would’ve asked you about a lot of things.”

Brittany pulled the covers up to her neck and stayed silent for so long, it felt like another New Year had passed.

“Hello? Are you still there?”

Brittany let out an exasperated, “Yes.”

“What is your problem? Ever since you left here, you’ve been avoiding everyone.”

Brittany’s heart raced, and blood rushed to her forehead. She’d had enough. How did her entire family get to lie about everything and then pester her for not being okay with it?

“Oh, I don’t know. Maybe I don’t like talking to people who lie to my face.”

“Brittany!”

“What? It’s true. You all knew the farmhouse was as good as sold while I was there, and nobody cared to tell me. What’s worse, you all went along with the story about listing it after Christmas. For all I know, you left the decorations up as a housewarming gift for the new owners.”

“Shame on you.”

Brittany shot up, throwing her covers as she did. How could her mother not see any wrong in what they’d done?

“No, Mama. Shame on you and Daddy and everyone else. Including Greg.”

“I’ll have you know that the home sold in a day’s time. So, no, we didn’t know the entire time that it was sold. And I think you’d really like the new owner. But even so, that’s really none of your business.”

Brittany rubbed her temples and took a deep breath. “I understand it’s none of my business, but I don’t like being left in the dark. You all act like I’m a child. You might as well have made cookies for me to leave out for Santa.”

“Well, since we’re being honest here, you do need to grow up in some respects.”

Brittany crossed her arms and blew a puff of air out of her nose. When she didn’t answer, Sarah continued talking.

“Selling a house doesn’t do away with the memories, young lady. Besides, if the house means that much to you, why didn’t you offer to buy it? We would’ve given it to you for nothing.”

“Mama, you know I can’t move there. My job is here.”

“Sweetie...”

Brittany rolled her eyes. She didn’t want pet names. All she wanted was an apology.

“I get why you’re mad. But you’re going to eventually have to get over it. You have to grow up and realize things change. And about Greg, you shouldn’t be mad at him.”

“But—”

“No, you listen to me, Brittany Elizabeth. I don’t know what happened between you two, but I do know the way you feel about him and the way he feels about you. I could see it when you two were together.”

Brittany squeezed a pillow so hard, she expected feathers to fly out. She took a deep breath before speaking to try and calm herself. “Mama, I know he had something to do with the quick sale. I saw the papers on his desk.”

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