Five Days After the Divorce My Mother in Law Asked Why I Was Still There Until I Told Her the House Was Mine

of traffic on the road beyond the hedge.

“He told us he bought that house,” she said finally. Not accusingly—to herself, almost. Processing.

“He did buy it,” I said. “With help I agreed to give him, under terms he agreed to in writing. The version without me in it was never accurate.”

She nodded once, slowly. Then she said something I had not expected and have not forgotten: “I should have asked more questions.”

I did not know how to respond to that. I think I simply said, “Yes.”

Then she walked to Trevor’s car, and he drove them away, and I stood there alone in the April afternoon with my keys in my hand and the cl