The air in the room grew thick as Emilys voice crackled through the phone.
Flat? What do you mean, *your* flat?
Mum, you knowGrandads place. He left it to me. You even rented it out for a while. Dont you remember? Emilys words trembled.
Oh *That* place. Well, it was never yours to begin with, Margaret replied, breezy as a summer afternoon. I sold it.
Emilys pulse spiked. Her ribs tightened around her lungs, and her legs gave way, forcing her to slump onto the sofa.
*Sold* it?
Like anyone would. Listed it, found a buyer. Simons car broke down, and you know hes useless without it. Needed a new one.
Emily couldnt muster a response. She dropped the phone. A sharp ache twisted inside her, threatening to spill out as a scream.
She remembered Grandad beaming, showing off the fresh wallpaper in the bedroom, murmuring, *Thisll all be yours one day, love.*
When youre grown, youll have your own little castle. Right from the start. Youll thank me then Hed ruffled her hair, grinning.
Hed died when she was twelve. Back then, she barely grasped what a flat of her own meant. Sure, she knew it was goodbut not *how* good. So when Mum announced the flat wasnt really hers, Emily hadnt minded much.
Its staying in my name for now, Margaret had declared, as the sole heir. Grandad asked me to look after it. Keep it from slipping through your fingers. Ill rent it out, cover the bills, maybe spruce it up. You dont want some crumbling dump full of debt, do you?
Course not, Emily agreed easily.
Good. Easier this way*Ill* deal with the tenants, not you. When youre older, well transfer it. Dont worry, love. Mum wont cheat you.
And that was that. Emily forgot about the flat, lost in schoolworkuntil Year 13.
Mum, Ive been talking to Sarah, shed begun hesitantly. Were applying to the same uni. Thought maybe we could live there together? Splitting bills would help. I want to try living on my own.
Shed expected a formality. A rubber stamp. Visions of late-night chats, shared takeaways, freedomall shattered in an instant.
Emily, love, youre *eighteen*. Howd you afford it? Mums brows arched. Youd need a job *and* uni. Impossible. And what if Sarah finds some bloke and bails? Then what? Mum, rescue me?
The hurt lodged under her ribs then, but Mums logic still sounded reasonable. She was the adult. Emily hadnt even paid a bill.
Shame burned as she apologised to Sarah, cancelling their plans.
Independence seemed lostuntil Mum offered an alternative.
Why not look at unis outside London? They do student halls. Same idea, but *free*. Ill send a bit from the rent. Not much, but enough.
Emilys heart leapt. She flung her arms around Mum, kissing her cheek.
The first six months were perfect. Then the money shrank.
Dentist wiped me out this month, Mum sighed. Well both have to tighten our belts.
Next, transfers lagged. If rent came on the 10th, money arrived a week later. Then longer. And longer.
Then Emily learned Mum had moved Simon in.
He was married. In the middle of a divorce, he claimeda divorce that never ended. And that was the least of it.
Mum moaned about him nightly, painting him as a leech. Emily saw it clear as day, but Mum wouldnt listen.
He *asked* me for money! To take *his kids* to the park! Mum wailed. Since when am I his wallet?
And you *gave* it?
Well, *yes*. What else could I do? Decent men dont grow on trees
Decent men dont drain your account and give *nothing* back.
Stop it! Im not some gold-digger. Its *love*, not business! Mum would snap, then hang up.
Simon *was* draining her. Free rent, free meals. A torn coat? Mum rushed to replace it.
What did she get? Nothing. He overcharged her for plumbing. Gifts? A lamp*mostly* paid for by her.
Then he started eyeing land plots. Hinting at a dream homehis name on the deeds. Mum gushed about gazebos.
Mum, *wake up*! Hes using you!
Oh, *youd* know, wouldnt you? Its *my* life! Dont I deserve happiness?
After that, Mum stopped mentioning him. A small mercy.
By third year, the money stopped entirely.
Lost my job, love. Youre on your own now.
Betrayal curdled in Emilys throat. That rent was *hers*. But she stayed quiet, scraping by as a tutor, a chat moderatoranything.
She graduated, saved a pittance, and called Mum, ready to reclaim her flat.
Only to learn it was gone.
But she had a card to playhalf of Mums *own* flat.
Two weeks in a rented room, then the call.
Mum, since were here I want whats mine. Im selling my half.
*What*? Thats *mine*!
Lifes unfair. You sold my flat. I need to live.
*Your* flat? Did *you* pay a penny? *I* managed it! *I* lived there!
Emilys throat closed. She wanted to scream about broken promises. Instead
Buy me out, or I sell to strangers.
I *raised* you! Youre worse than your father!
Emily hung up. Next day, a registered letternotice of sale.
A month later, the money landed in her account. Enough to start again.
Sorry, Grandad, she whispered. But you taught me not to trust words.
Guilt gnawed at her. Hed wanted harmonya home for each. But her home had become tyres on Simons car. So she played dirty too.
