Paige looked toward the contractors. “Can we discuss this privately?”
“Stop the renovation first.”
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This is my house.
“Nora, we’ve already paid deposits!”
“Then call Mom.”
I dialed her myself.
“Get to the country house. Now.”
Twenty minutes later, Mom arrived.
Paige immediately confronted her. “You said Dad wanted us to have it!”
Stop the renovation first.
Mom glanced at me. “Nora, we need to discuss this calmly.”
“Did Dad leave me the house?”
“Your father loved all his children. I’m sure he would’ve wanted Paige’s family to have a proper home.”
“That’s not what I asked.”
“Your sister has two children. You already have a successful business and your own apartment.”
We need to discuss this calmly.
“So Dad didn’t leave me the house?”
Mom hesitated. “He did. But circumstances change.”
Paige turned toward her.
“Wait. You knew?”
“I was trying to do what was best for everyone!”
“Then why didn’t you tell me about the will?” I asked.
Circumstances change.
“Because I knew you’d react like this!”
“When did you find out?”
Mom looked away. “Shortly after the funeral.”
I glanced at the boxes on the porch.
“And you still told Paige she could move in?”
I knew you’d react like this!
“She needed somewhere to live!”
Paige stared at her. “You told me Dad wanted us to have it.”
“I thought he’d understand!”
“No,” I said. “You hoped I’d never find out until Paige was already living here.”
But one question still bothered me.
She needed somewhere to live!
“Is that why you kept Dad’s death from me?”
“At first, I was terrified the news would destroy you,” Mom said. “I only wanted you to finish treatment.”
“And after you saw the will?”
She said nothing.
“You weren’t protecting me anymore. You were buying Paige time to move in.”
One question still bothered me.
“I thought you’d understand once you recovered.”
“You let me keep calling my dead father because you wanted his house for Paige.”
Mom looked away.
That was answer enough.
Paige crossed her arms. “My children were promised this house.”
You weren’t protecting me.
“By someone who didn’t own it.”
“We spent thousands renovating!”
“Then ask Mom to reimburse you.”
“You’re being selfish!”
I turned toward her. “I nearly died, Paige. Dad died while I was fighting for my life. And you couldn’t even tell me?”
You wanted his house for Paige.
“We were following Mom’s advice!”
“You’re adults!”
Mom raised her voice. “Enough! Your father would hate seeing you fight!”
I looked directly at her. “Don’t speak for him.”
She fell silent.
“You took away my chance to say goodbye to Dad. But you are not taking away the last thing he wanted me to have.”
I was fighting for my life.
Paige started crying. “What about my children?”
“They deserve a home. But you can’t take mine.”
I turned to the contractors.
“Stop working. I haven’t authorized these renovations.”
Then I faced Mom. “You’re done making decisions for me.”
You can’t take mine.
Three months later, probate ended. I moved into Dad’s house.
Paige still refused to speak to me.
Mom tried calling, but I wasn’t ready to forgive her.
Dean and I slowly made peace. He even helped me repair the barn roof.
Behind a cabinet, I found Dad’s unfinished table.
You’re done making decisions for me.
I spent weeks completing it, then carved underneath:
Made by Richard and Nora.
I placed his wooden bird on top.
For years, I’d avoided arguments, knowing Dad would always defend me. But losing him taught me something I’d needed to learn long ago.
I could stand up for myself. And I didn’t need anyone’s permission to live the life I wanted.
