The Shocking Homecoming
When she returned home and opened her front door, she barely recognized her own entryway.
A brand new wall cut straight through the center of what had been her open living room. The hallway had been narrowed into an uncomfortably tight corridor. Her dining area had been sliced in half as though someone had taken a knife to the floor plan.
Where there used to be one cohesive, open space, there were now two completely separate sections. Each had its own door. Each door had its own lock installed.
It looked like someone had attempted to convert her single-family home into a duplex overnight.
Her suitcase slipped from her hand and hit the floor with a dull thud.
“Mason,” she said slowly, trying to process what she was seeing. “What is this?”
He walked in behind her, chewing gum casually as though he had simply changed out some light fixtures rather than fundamentally altered the structure of her home.
“Mom had a really great idea,” he said, his tone suggesting this should be obvious. “Now we can have ‘our side’ and ‘her side’ when she comes to stay. It’s much more organized this way.”
“More organized?” She pressed her fingers against the fresh drywall, half expecting it to disappear like a mirage. “You built a wall. In my house.”
Linda appeared from what used to be the home office, her face beaming with satisfaction.
“Surprise! Isn’t it clever? Two distinct sections. One for you two, and one for family when we visit.”
The woman’s stomach twisted into a knot. “You did this while I was out of town?”
Linda waved her hand dismissively, as though the concern was silly. “It’s an upgrade, really. Contractors are expensive, but we kept the costs reasonable.”
Mason nodded eagerly. “It’s a big improvement. You’ll thank us once you see how well it works.”
She stared at the locks on both doors. At the division cutting through her home. At the way her living space now felt parceled and separated.
“How much did this cost?” she asked quietly.
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