Sandra Immediately Became Defensive

She lowered her voice.

“We talked about this.”

“No, we didn’t.”

“Yes, we did.”

“We talked about transportation for both girls.”

Sandra looked around the room.

“Can we not do this right now?”

Ava wanted the floor to open beneath her.

She said:

“It’s fine.”

Sandra immediately replied:

“See? Ava understands.”

That made it worse.

Mark looked at his daughter.

“No. It’s not fine.”

Ava didn’t respond.

Then Chloe walked back inside, still holding the car keys.

She sensed the tension immediately.

“What happened?”

Nobody answered.

Sandra finally said:

“Nothing. Your dad is making an issue out of Ava’s gift.”

Chloe looked at the transit card.

Then at Ava.

Then at her own keys.

“Oh.”

That one word said everything.

“The Circumstances Aren’t the Same”

Mark asked Sandra to speak with him privately.

But by then several relatives were listening.

Sandra crossed her arms.

“Chloe needs a car.”

“So does Ava.”

“No, she doesn’t.”

“Ava’s college is farther away.”

“She can take the train and bus.”

“Chloe’s campus is twenty minutes away.”

Sandra’s voice tightened.

“Chloe also works.”

Ava finally spoke.

“So do I.”

Sandra looked at her.

“Part-time.”

“So does Chloe.”

Sandra paused.

Then said:

“The circumstances are different.”

Ava asked the question everyone was thinking.

“How?”

Sandra looked uncomfortable.

She should have stopped there.

Instead, she said:

“Because Chloe is my daughter.”

The entire room went silent.