After the walk, Beverly and I went to the mall because I wanted to buy a few new things for my future. We ate a lovely lunch at a nice restaurant and took photos together to document our successful day of planning.
“You know Henrietta, I think you are making the absolute right decision for yourself,” Beverly said as we walked back to the car. She was right because I could not afford to waste the remaining years of my life being miserable just to please my son.
That afternoon when I returned home, I sat in my favorite armchair and looked around at the living room I loved so much. Every piece of furniture and every decoration represented a choice I had made for myself.
On Wednesday morning, the doorbell rang and I found Penelope standing there with a box of donuts and a fake smile. She only called me “Mom” when she wanted something and I knew she was there to scout out the house before the move.
“Good morning Mom, I just wanted to stop by and talk about the move this Saturday,” she said while walking into the kitchen. I offered her a cup of coffee and watched as she began to imagine how she would rearrange my space.