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“Hey Chels,” my mom greets. “Can I come in?”
I nod, surprised to see her.
“Sure thing. You’re back from work early today. I’m so sorry that I don’t have dinner on the table yet.”
She nods and slips in, perching herself on my bed. Elsa’s always been pretty, but the problem is that she’s been suffering from Lyme disease the past couple years, and it’s taken a toll. She doesn’t wear make-up anymore because the chemicals in cosmetics can aggravate her illness, and years of battling for her health have made her thin.Toothin. As a woman in her forties, she’s too young to look this haggard, even if she still takes pains to dress well.
My mom hesitates for a moment before smiling at me again. Then, she clears her throat and opens her mouth, but nothing comes out. Wow, this is strange. Hoping to dispel the awkwardness, I sit down on the bed too and smile.
“What’s up, Mom?”
Elsa picks at the bedsheet with her bony hands, pulling at a loose thread before looking up at me.
“Not much,” she says in a soft voice. “Things are good. How are you liking it here?”
I nod with warmth.
“I love it, actually, and thanks again for welcoming me into your home. I know that my pregnancy was unexpected, but aren’t you so excited to meet your new grandchild? He or she will be here soon enough, and we’ll be a happy trio,” I smile.
My mom’s smile falters a little.
“Well, there’s some news about that,” she begins.
A frown creases my brow.
“About what? About the baby?”
Elsa bites her lip, looking uncertain.
“No, not that,” she says. “Well, sort of. The thing is that you know that we live here because Mr. Richards lets us, right? This property belongs to him.”
I nod.
“Yes, and because he’s your boyfriend, right? He let you move in when you had that cancer scare a couple of years back.”
Elsa nods, swallowing hard. Her blonde hair looks slightly dull in this light, and I wonder what’s got her on edge.
“Yes, we were dating when I had that scare, and Mr. Richards was very kind to let me use this cottage. But the thing is that the cancer was just that: a false alarm.”
I stare at her.
“Okay, but what are you trying to say? Is the cancer back? Or did something happen again? We will make it through this together, Mom.”
Elsa shakes her head, before tucking a blonde tress behind one ear.
“No, not that. This has nothing to do with my health, but actually … Mr. Richards has asked us to move out,” she says helplessly.
I gasp, my eyes widening and my mouth falling open in shock.
“Butwhy?” I ask. “I thought you were dating!”
Elsa sighs.
“Weweredating, years ago. But we haven’t really dated in a while. For a long time, in fact.”
That doesn’t surprise me because Mason Richards hasn’t made an appearance while I’ve been around. That explains his absence, I suppose.
“But still, why does he want you to leave now? You’re a great tenant! You’re quiet, you don’t bother him, you keep the cottage clean, and even tend the garden. So why would he want you to move out? Why now, especially? Have you been paying him rent? Did you miss a rent payment?”
