coming tonight.”
“What?”
“I’m not coming.”
“But the heat!”
“Call an HVAC company.”
“You know they charge emergency rates!”
“Yes.”
“You could fix it for free!”
“I could.”
“Then why won’t you?”
I took a breath.
“Because tonight you showed me exactly what you think my children are worth.”
Silence.
Then Mom whispered:
“That’s not fair.”
I closed my eyes.
“Maybe it isn’t.”
I hung up.
At 9:31, another message appeared.
The gas company says they can’t discuss the account with me.
I stared at the screen.
Then another
