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They vanish as quickly as they entered, leaving me with my sister and her accusatory smirk.
Frowning, I ask, “What?”
"You haven't told them yet, have you?"
"I've been nervous to tell them until I was sure I could go through with it."
"So, the question is, little sister, are you ready to go through with it?” She raises her eyebrows in question. “Think about it. Call me tomorrow with your decision. This couple really wants your house."
"Thanks. I'll let you know as soon as I decide."
She gets up from the table and pushes her chair in, then leans to give me a quick air kiss on the cheek. “Gotta bail. Call me later, okay?”
I nod as she leaves the kitchen and heads toward the front door. “Love you,” I call after her, then I pour myself a large glass of chardonnay before grabbing my phone and heading to the back patio.
The view of the treetops covering the mountains of Sonoma still causes me to stop in awe each time I see it. Since Jason and I bought this home sixteen years ago, not much has changed. Nothing ever changes here. I think it's why I cling to Sonoma.
Change is a scary word. A word I've tried to avoid most of my life. I like a plan. I need to know what's coming next. If I'm not one-thousand percent prepared for whatever is ahead of me, then something is wrong.
Yet… change is all life has thrown at me since the day Jason said he wasn't in love with me anymore two years ago. After twenty years together, he walked out on us and everything we built without warning for one of his boob jobs.
"Mom?” The twins say in unison, appearing out of nowhere and shaking me from my thoughts.
Mason scans the back patio. “Aunt Jackie just texted us. She said we needed to talk to you ASAP.”
I roll my eyes. “I’m fine, kiddo. Aunt Jackie is just worried about her hefty commission," I mumble. "Come sit down. We need to talk." I pat the seats on either side of me.
"You're sick, aren't you?” Madison proclaims. “I knew it. You've looked off lately, and I felt something was wrong." My daughter, the over-dramatic actress.
"No, I’m not sick, Madi. But thank you for the heads-up that I've been looking like shit." I chuckle.
"So, if you're not sick, what's up?" Mason asks.
"I got an offer on the house."
"An offer?” Madi shrieks. “Do you mean, like, for someone to buy our house? Why would Aunt Jackie evenshowour home to people?" Her mouth gapes as she frantically searches my gaze.
"Because I asked her to."
"Youaskedher to sell the home Igrew upin? How could you?" Madison shouts.
Steeling my nerves with a deep breath, I say, "I love this house as much as you do. But where will you be in two months?"
"Los Angeles," Mason says at the same time his sister answers, "San Diego."
I point at them both. "Exactly. Have you thought at all about what I’m supposed to do all day?”
They both remain silent as they watch me, though Mason has the grace to grimace.
Clearly, they haven’t thought about me at all. They’re teenagers about to step out into the world; they’resupposedto be self-centered right now.
“Since you two started school, I have been the room mom, the head of the PTA, troop leader, coach… Whatever you two needed me to be, I was it. And when I wasn't with you, I was trying to be a good wife for your father.” I ignore the pinch of regret in my chest. “But in doing everything to be who you all needed me to be, I lost myself.” I swallow the lump of emotion building in my throat. “We had an amazing life in this home, but now it feels like a house I'm trapped in, and I can't live like that."
Mason frowns as he processes what I’ve just said out loud to the first time.
A trap. This house feels like a trap. Somehow, admitting it out loud loosens the tight knot in my shoulders, makes it so I can breathe a bit easier.
"Where are we supposed to go when school's out?" Madi asks.
