“Oh, so now you two have to talk?” Now that the bills were piling up and reality was finally catching up with them, I waited an hour before replying, “There’s nothing to discuss. You’ve made your decision.”
“You’ll have to live with that.” I thought that settled it. I was absolutely certain I’d made my position clear, and I didn’t regret it one bit.
But then Eric decided to get involved. That same evening, I received a text from him. As soon as I saw his name on the screen, I knew it was going to be annoying.
I opened it, and sure enough, it was pure arrogance: “Jacob, man, what’s all the fuss about? It’s not the end of the world. Just help them like you always do.”
I almost laughed. “Isn’t it the end of the world?” I was absolutely convinced I had no right to be angry. I replied immediately:
“No, I think it’s your responsibility now. After all, you’re the darling.” Eric:
“Jesus Christ, are you really getting worked up about a will? Grow up, man. It’s just money. Yeah.”
Now that the money was his, it suddenly didn’t matter anymore. The irony was astounding. I replied,
“Well, it’s just money, it shouldn’t be too hard for you to spend it on the mortgage, right?” Silence. A few minutes later, another message from his mother. This time, he was plagued by guilt.
Mother: Jacob. We are your parents.
We, as a family, take care of each other. We did so much for you when you were little. And now you’re just leaving us.
I took a deep breath to keep from throwing the phone against the wall. Abandoning them? For years, I had made sure they were comfortable while coddling Eric and encouraging his laziness.
And now, when they finally had to face the consequences of their own decisions, I was the bad guy? But this time, I didn’t believe it. I retorted, “You made it clear I wasn’t part of the family when you disinherited me.”
Now Eric is supposed to take care of you. I could almost hear Mom’s theatrical gasp in my head, the way she always did when she wanted to play innocent, even when she was in the wrong. A few minutes later, I got a text from Dad, and it made my blood boil…
Father: “We’re not asking for much. Just help us with the mortgage for a few more months while we sort this out. Don’t be selfish.”
Selfish? The word filled me with rage. For years, I had bailed them out, sacrificed my money, my time, and my energy to make their lives easier. I had done everything a good son should do.
And how did they repay me? By leaving me empty-handed. And now that I was finally standing up for myself, I was the selfish one? I gritted my teeth, took a deep breath, and typed, “No, I’m done.”
Then I simply turned off my phone. They had made their decision. Now they had to accept it.
The silence lasted exactly one day. I knew my parents wouldn’t give up so easily, but I wasn’t ready for it. The next morning, I woke up to a notification: “Money transfer request.”
I frowned, unlocked my phone, and checked. It was from my mother. She had actually asked me for money, as if it were an ATM.
The amount: $5,000. I stared at the screen, half stunned, half amused by the audacity. There was no message.
Continue reading on the next page
