Part 2
Chapter 2 — The Rules Tighten
“From now on, I need you to text before you use the living room.”
Eleanor stopped halfway through setting her book on the coffee table.
Brooke stood behind the sofa with a clipboard against her chest.
“Use the living room?”
“For guests.”
“I don’t have guests here.”
“You tried to.”
Eleanor looked at the empty chair beside her.
“Janice never came.”
“That’s because we discussed boundaries.”
Brandon entered carrying two grocery bags.
Eleanor turned toward him.
“Apparently I need permission to sit with company.”
Brooke’s mouth tightened.
“That is not what I said.”
“It sounds close.”
“Mom, can we not do this right now?”
Brandon placed the bags on the counter without looking at either woman.
Eleanor’s fingers remained on her book.
Brooke opened the clipboard.
“I’m making a household schedule.”
Eleanor stared at her.
“A schedule for what?”
“Laundry, cleaning, groceries, deliveries.”
“I already manage my own things.”
“That creates duplication.”
Brooke showed her the page.
Eleanor saw her name beside Tuesday laundry, Thursday groceries, and Friday kitchen cleaning.
“You assigned me chores?”
“I divided responsibilities.”
Brandon began putting groceries away.
Eleanor looked at him.
“What are yours?”
He froze with a carton of milk in his hand.
Brooke answered.
“Brandon works.”
“So did I.”
“Past tense.”
The words landed harder than Brooke seemed to expect.
Brandon shut the refrigerator.
“Brooke.”
“What? She asked.”
Eleanor picked up her book.
She wanted to remind them whose money covered the refrigerator, the counters, and half the food inside them.
Instead, she closed the book.
“What time do you want the kitchen done?”
Brooke’s expression eased.
“Before dinner.”
Eleanor nodded.
She carried her book toward the hallway.
Behind her, Brandon said something too quietly to hear.
Brooke answered in the same low voice.
Eleanor kept walking.
At her bedroom door, she realized she had left her reading glasses beside the sofa.
She did not go back for them.
“Where’s the chair?”
Eleanor stood beside the empty window.
Brooke continued typing on her laptop.
“What chair?”
“David’s chair.”
Brooke paused.
“Oh.”
Eleanor waited.
“Where is it?”
“I had the storage company take it.”
Eleanor’s face went still.
“You had it removed?”
“It was taking up half the room.”
“You could have told me.”
“I thought we already discussed it.”
“We discussed your opinion of it.”
Brooke closed the laptop.
“There’s no reason to make this dramatic.”
Eleanor looked at the pale square pressed into the carpet.
She could still picture David sitting there.
Coffee balanced on one knee.
Newspaper folded badly.
Glasses sliding down his nose.
“Which storage company?”
Brooke sighed.
“I don’t remember.”
“You hired them.”
“I can find the receipt.”
“Please do.”
Brooke picked up her phone.
“Actually, while you’re here, the dealership needs something.”
Eleanor turned slowly.
“What?”
“For the SUV paperwork.”
Brooke opened an email.
“They want your information exactly as it appears on your license.”
“You already have my information.”
“They want the full legal version.”
Eleanor hesitated.
Brooke looked at the screen.
“Your middle name is Marie, correct?”
“Yes.”
“Eleanor Marie Whitmore.”
“That’s correct.”
Brooke typed it.
“Date of birth?”
“You know my birthday.”
“They need the year.”
Eleanor gave it to her.
Brooke continued filling boxes.
“Social Security number?”
“No.”
Brooke finally looked up.
“They probably need it.”
“Then I’ll give it directly to the dealership.”
Brooke’s jaw tightened.
“Fine.”
Eleanor returned her attention to the empty space.
“Please send me the storage receipt.”
“I said I would.”
“Today?”
Brooke leaned back.
“When I have time.”
Eleanor nodded.
She walked toward the kitchen.
Brandon came through the back door.
He looked toward the empty window.
Then toward Eleanor.
“Where’s Dad’s chair?”
Brooke’s eyes lifted sharply.
Eleanor stopped.
For one moment, she expected Brandon to say more.
He didn’t.
Brooke reopened her laptop.
Eleanor continued into the kitchen alone.
“Eleanor?”
Janice stood outside the front door holding a bakery box.
Eleanor stared at her through the glass.
“Janice.”
“I know we canceled.”
Janice lifted the box.
“But I was already nearby.”
Eleanor opened the door.
“You didn’t have to do that.”
“I wanted to.”
Janice smiled.
“Peace offering for losing our coffee.”
“You didn’t lose anything.”
“I lost your company.”
Eleanor almost smiled.
Then Brooke appeared behind her.
“Who is it?”
Janice’s smile faded slightly.
Eleanor moved aside.
“Brooke, you remember Janice.”
“Of course.”
Brooke’s voice was pleasant.
Too pleasant.
Janice held out the box.
“Blueberry scones.”
Brooke didn’t take it.
“That’s kind, but we’re about to leave.”
Eleanor glanced at her.
“We are?”
Brooke looked directly at her.
“I told you we needed groceries.”
“No, you didn’t.”
A small silence opened.
Janice shifted the box between her hands.
“I can just go.”
“You don’t have to,” Eleanor said.
Brooke checked her watch.
“We really do have things to finish.”
Janice studied Eleanor’s face.
“Maybe another time.”
Eleanor wanted to say no.
She wanted to invite her inside and pour coffee anyway.
Instead, she reached for the bakery box.
“Thank you.”
Janice held on for a second.
“You sure you’re okay?”
Eleanor felt Brooke standing behind her.
“I’m fine.”
Janice released the box.
“Call me.”
“I will.”
Brooke closed the door before Janice reached her car.
Eleanor turned.
“You embarrassed her.”
“I protected my afternoon.”
“She came to see me.”
“She came unannounced.”
“She brought food.”
“That doesn’t change the issue.”
Eleanor placed the box on the entry table.
Brooke walked past her.
“And we do need groceries.”
Eleanor followed her with her eyes.
“I bought groceries yesterday.”
“Not what I need.”
Brooke disappeared into the kitchen.
Eleanor looked through the window.
Janice sat inside her parked car for several seconds.
Then she drove away.
Eleanor reached for her phone.
Brooke called from the kitchen.
“Can you come here a minute?”
Eleanor lowered the phone without dialing.
“Cancel your brunch.”
Brooke dropped the laundry basket at Eleanor’s feet.
A sock slid over the edge and landed against her shoe.
Eleanor looked down.
Then she looked at Brooke.
“What?”
“My parents are coming tonight.”
“I know.”
“The house needs to be done before they get here.”
“I have brunch with Janice at noon.”
“Cancel it.”
Brandon sat at the kitchen island four feet away.
His coffee mug was raised halfway to his mouth.
Eleanor looked at him.
He didn’t move.
Brooke pointed toward the basket.
“Wash those first.”
Eleanor’s voice remained quiet.
“Those are your clothes.”
“And Brandon’s.”
Brandon set down his mug.
Brooke continued.
“Then scrub the downstairs bathroom.”
Eleanor stared at her.
“Scrub it?”
“The baseboards too.”
“Brooke.”
“And pick up my dry cleaning.”
Eleanor felt heat climb into her face.
She looked at Brandon again.
His eyes dropped to the counter.
Brooke snapped her fingers.
“Did you hear me, Eleanor?”
Eleanor’s shoulders stiffened.
“I heard you.”
“I don’t have time to say this twice.”
Brandon’s jaw tightened.
He still said nothing.
Eleanor waited.
One second.
Two.
“Brandon?”
His hand closed around the coffee mug.
“Mom.”
That was all.
Brooke folded her arms.
“My parents haven’t seen the house since we finished everything.”
Eleanor looked around the kitchen.
The stone counters.
The pendant lights.
The hardwood she had paid to replace.
“You want it perfect.”
“Yes.”
“And I’m responsible for that?”
Brooke stared back.
“You’re here.”
Eleanor’s mouth opened.
Nothing came out.
Brandon finally raised his eyes.
For a moment, she saw something close to shame.
Then he looked down again.
Eleanor bent and picked up the fallen sock.
Brooke stepped aside.
“The dry cleaning closes at five.”
Eleanor lifted the basket.
It was heavier than she expected.
“I know where it is.”
“Good.”
Brooke walked away.
Brandon remained seated.
Eleanor stood there holding his clothes against her chest.
He never asked her to put them down.
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