“I don’t know anything. I’ve never seen a vacation home, and I’ve never once been told that anyone bought one for me.”
At my words, my grandmother’s expression softened slightly, a hint of pity flickering across her face.
But it vanished just as quickly, replaced by a hard stare as she turned to my parents.
“George, Sandra, you told me this, didn’t you? Mandy is mentally unstable and incapable of managing a large sum of money. Until she becomes independent, we will act as her guardians and manage that vacation home on her behalf.”
“What?” I couldn’t believe my ears.
“Wait a second, Mom. Dad, when exactly was I ever mentally unstable? I graduated at the top of my class and have worked diligently ever since. I’ve never caused you trouble, not even once.”
“Mandy, calm down,” my mother said in a low voice. There was no concern in her eyes, only a warning that said, “Don’t say anything unnecessary.”
“You’re worked up right now. See, this is exactly what I mean by unstable.”
“Don’t you dare!” I sprang to my feet. My chair toppled over behind me with a loud crash.
“I am perfectly normal. You’re the ones who are sick. When I couldn’t pay my rent, you told me I wasn’t trying hard enough and to be independent, didn’t you? And yet, behind my back, you handed over a house in my name to Ashley.”
“Mandy, how dare you speak to your parents like that?” my father shouted, slamming his fist on the table. “We did it for your own good. You don’t have the ability to manage assets, so we entrusted it to Ashley.”
For my own good. The absurdity of it all left me too numb even to cry.
“Oh, shut up already,” Ashley Thompson screamed. “A plain, boring woman like you doesn’t deserve a beautiful house like that. We were just putting it to good use. You should be thanking us.”
“Ashley, you…” My vision blurred with frustration. My whole body trembled with rage.
This is family? Is this what people bound by blood do to each other?
“That’s enough.”
My grandmother’s voice cut cleanly through the swamp of shouting. She rose slowly, leaning on her cane, and walked over to me. Then she placed her hand gently on my shaking shoulder.
“Mandy is right. All of you are rotten. Completely rotten to the core.”
“Mom, that’s going too far,” my father said, his face twisting. “We did everything for the sake of the family.”
My grandmother looked down at him coldly.
“There is no family here. There are only hyenas who fed on their granddaughter’s property. Tonight, everything will be settled.”