She gave a small laugh.
“With the baby, I mean. I’m going to be exhausted.”
Daniel appeared behind her.
“Claire, don’t start.”
I smiled once more.
“I’m not starting anything.”
That afternoon, their sense of entitlement became almost theatrical.
Vanessa adjusted the thermostat to her preference.
Daniel handed her my usual parking spot.
Her mother opened my refrigerator and began writing a grocery list for me.
Then Vanessa entered my home office without bothering to knock.
“I’ll need this room during the day,” she announced. “The guest room doesn’t get enough sunlight.”
“My office?”
“For the baby.”
I leaned back in my chair.
“You’re planning quite a life here.”
She folded her arms.
“Daniel said this was basically his house too.”
There it was.
Exactly the sentence I had been waiting to hear.
“Did he?”
Before Vanessa could respond, Daniel walked in.
“Claire, can we not make Vanessa uncomfortable?”
I looked from one of them to the other.
“No problem.”
I shut my laptop.
“Actually, I have a surprise for everyone.”
Vanessa smiled.
“A baby gift?”
