“Don’t start. You promised me this would work,” she snapped at him. “You said you had it all figured out. Look at us now.”
“I made some bad calls, alright?”
I had nothing more to say to either of them.
“There’s nothing left here. For any of us.”
“Arnold, wait…please,” Mara called after me as I turned to leave. “You can’t do this. This is our home.”
Mark stepped forward, desperation brimming in his eyes. “We’ll figure something out, alright? Just… just give us time, man. Don’t throw us out like this.”
I didn’t answer. I got into the truck and closed the door.
“Don’t throw us out like this.”
For a moment, I just sat there. Then I picked up my phone and called the lead mover.
“I need the keys by five.”
There was a pause on the other end. “Understood, Sir.”
I hung up.
Outside, Mara had gone quiet. Mark didn’t say anything else.
I started the engine and drove away.
When I got home, the girls were at the table with my mother, their heads bent close together as they colored, crayons scattered across the surface and laughter slipping out in small bursts.
Outside, Mara had gone quiet.
I stood in the doorway for a second, just watching.
My mother looked up. “How was your day, Arnie?”
I smiled.
“Never better, Mom.”
