Chapter 25 - THE PARTY ROOM
I returned to the old house once before it sold.
Empty.
No guests.
No furniture except what movers had not collected.
Lily stayed with Linda.
Her choice.
I walked into the room where I had slapped both parents.
No shattered beer glass.
No camera phones.
Just sunlight.
Then the laundry room.
Smaller than I remembered.
White cabinets.
Washer.
Dryer.
Door.
I stood there for maybe thirty seconds.
I expected rage.
Got sadness.
My father had looked at this ordinary room and decided it could become part of a corporate strategy.
Rebecca had looked at Lily and calculated one slap.
Linda had looked at guests and calculated containment.
I had looked at Robert and calculated impact.
Everyone converting people into outcomes.
That was what had to end.
I closed the laundry-room door.
Then reopened it.
Not symbolism for an audience.
Just checking the latch.
It worked.
Of course it did.
May you like
I laughed at myself.
Then left.
