My family left me to eat alone on my 75th birthday, using my money to vacation in Europe. So I sold the house while they were gone and moved next door to watch their faces when they came back…

I saw the resort charges. The jewelry. The electronics.

You’ve been draining my account. He stood up. You went through my stuff.

No, I said calmly. I went through mine. He scoffed.

So what, you’re cutting me off now. After everything I’ve done for you. You mean using me, I said, standing too.

Lying to me, leaving me home on my birthday while you drank and danced on my dime? You do this, he snapped. You’re going to be all alone. Don’t call me when you need something.

I walked over to the counter, picked up Nora’s card, and looked him dead in the eye. I won’t. He stormed out, slamming the door behind him.

I stood there for a moment, feeling the silence settle back in. Then I picked up the phone, and I called the woman who helped me see the truth. Nora, I said.

Let’s get started. It didn’t take long for the ripple to reach him. The very same week Nora helped me transfer my accounts, lock my credit, and revoke Andre’s access, the call started.

First, it was a string of missed call. Andre win notifications. Then came the text.

Short. Tense. Mama, we need to talk.

Why is my card getting declined? Call me now. This is serious. I didn’t answer.

I didn’t need to anymore. Nora said it would take a few days for all the legal paperwork to finalize. But the minute the accounts were frozen, Andre would feel it, and he did.

I imagined him standing in a checkout line somewhere, trying to run my card, and being told it was no longer valid. I imagined his eyes narrowing, his voice rising. I imagined the panic when he realized the bank login didn’t work either.

For the first time in a long time, I didn’t feel guilty. I felt free. But of course, freedom doesn’t come without a knock at the door.

Saturday morning around 10, I was folding laundry when I heard the heavy thud of shoes on my porch. Before I could even peek through the curtain, the door flew open and Andre walked in loud and steaming. What the hell is going on? I stayed calm.

I’d practiced this moment in my head every night since I made the call to Nora. I looked him in the eye and said, You’ll need to be more specific. He scoffed.

My business account is frozen. My bank app’s locked. The credit card I was using for utilities just got shut down at the gas station.

You trying to humiliate me, Mama? I’m trying to protect what’s mine. He stepped closer. You really gonna do this to your own son? No, I said softly.

You already did it to me. Brianna walked in behind him then. She wasn’t dressed like usual.

No heels, no tight blouse, no lip gloss, just a wrinkled hoodie and a tight jaw. I told you this was gonna blow up, she muttered to him, but loud enough for me to hear. Andre turned to her.

Stay out of it. No, I said, cutting in. Let her speak.

I’d love to hear what y’all told yourselves while you were sipping drinks on my birthday using my own money. Brianna folded her arms and looked away. Andre didn’t flinch.

We needed help, Mama. The business wasn’t taking off like we hoped. You always said your money was for family…