“Yes,” I say. “Ours.”
Rafe’s fingers brush my wrist as he steps to my side.
Lindy moves closer, her presence grounding. “Mom,” she says again, firmer. “Stop.”
My mother whirls on her. “Stay out of this.”
“No,” Lindy says, “I won’t.”
That gets Mom’s attention, but only briefly. Her focus snaps back to Rafe. “So this is why you’ve been so… distant,” she says, curling the word like it tastes bad. “Sneaking around. Lying.”
“I haven’t lied,” I say immediately.
She turns on me. “You absolutely have.”
“I didn’t tell you,” I correct. “There’s a difference.”
She stares at me like I’ve slapped her.
Rafe shifts then, stepping slightly forward. “Mrs. Marshall?—”
“Do not use my name,” she spits. “You have no right.”
That does it. Something inside me snaps, like a line finally drawn. “Back off,” I say.
The room goes very quiet. My mother looks at me like she doesn’t recognize me at all.
“I will not let you talk to him like that,” I continue, my voice controlled, low. “You are a guest here. You will act like one.”
Her mouth opens.
Lindy jumps in quickly. “Ollie, I tried to call you,” she says, urgency threading through her words. “I swear I did. Like, five times.”
I blink at her. “What?”
She pulls her phone from her pocket, scrolling rapidly. “See? Calls. Texts. I didn’t want you walking into this blind.”
My stomach drops, and I pull my own phone out automatically.
Silent mode. Of course it is. The irony would almost be funny if it wasn’t ruining my life. I’m absolutely regretting my decision to give her a spare key right now too.
“I didn’t know she was coming when I decided to surprise you for a late birthday hello,” Lindy adds quickly. “I thought we’d talk first.”
My mother scoffs. “Clearly that wouldn’t have mattered.”
“This is Rafe’s home,” I say. The words come out before I can soften them, and her tirade cuts off mid-breath.
I feel my pulse in my throat, my ears, my fingertips. I should stop. I should choose different words. I should slow this down.
I don’t.
“He lives here,” I continue, voice shaking now but unyielding. “This is his home too.”
The silence that follows is total.
Not stunned.
Not confused.
