And somewhere along the way, without me noticing exactly when, I became the person who cooked at every holiday. Who washed the dishes afterward while everyone else watched football. Who ate standing up at the kitchen counter, because by the time I sat down, there was never a seat left.
Ezoic
At Thanksgiving, Eleanor would hand me her empty plate without looking at me.
At Christmas, Madison would say, “Claire, can you get me more ice?”
At Easter, Richard’s cousins would ask me where the extra napkins were, like I worked there.
Ezoic
I told myself I was being generous.
It took me nine years to understand that I’d been teaching them exactly how to treat me.
Six months before the reunion, I found the first withdrawal.
It was a Tuesday night in January. I was sitting at my desk in my home office, going through my monthly statements. I’m an accountant at heart. I’ve always read every line.
