He said: I just thought that the money could—

I said: Jason. I worked two jobs for eleven years. I spent thirty years in that house. I raised you in that house.

He said: I know that. I appreciate that—

I said: do you?

He said nothing.

I said: I have been waiting for two years for you to come to me with something other than what you came with.

He said: what do you mean?

I said: I hoped you would come to visit because you missed me. Or because something good had happened you wanted to share. Or because you needed advice about something.

He said: I was busy—

I said: I know.

He said: what happens with the house?

I said: the trust has instructions. Margaret can explain them to you. The house is not being sold against my wishes.

He said: what does that mean for me?

I said: that’s a question for Margaret.

He said: Mom—

I said: Jason. I love you. I have always loved you. But I am not a problem for you to solve or an obstacle to your future.

I said: I am your mother.

He said nothing for a long moment.

I said: I’m going to dinner in twenty minutes. It’s a nice dining room. Good light.

He said: you’re not upset.

I said: I’ve had two years to think about this.

He said: the trust.

I said: yes.

He said: you planned this.

I said: I protected myself. That’s not the same as a plan against you.

He said: it feels the same.

I said: I know.

I said: goodnight, Jason.

Part 5 — The Dining Room

The dining room at Maple Ridge was, as I had noted when I visited last month, genuinely well-lit.

Large windows. Round tables. The specific warm quality of a room designed for people to feel comfortable in.

I ate dinner with a woman named Ruth who had been a librarian for thirty-eight years and who had strong opinions about contemporary fiction.

We had a very good conversation.

Margaret called after dinner.

She said: he called his attorney. His attorney called me. I explained the trust structure.

She said: Dorothy. His attorney asked whether there was any provision for family members.

I said: what did you tell him?

She said: I told him the trust had been constructed according to my client’s wishes and that those wishes were clear.

She said: I also told him that my client’s wishes could change if circumstances changed. That the trust was not irrevocable in terms of beneficiary designation.

I said: you told him there was still a door.

She said: I told him the truth. You can change your mind. The question is whether anything happens that would make you want to.