Mark stared at his mother as if she had walked into the wrong room.

“Mom, you’re taking her side without understanding how the joint account was set up.”

“I understand enough to know what you did,” Ruth said.

“You put my name in the middle of your lie so I’d defend you when the bill came due.”

“I took you on a vacation for your birthday, Mom,” Mark said, his tone turning pleading.

“I wanted you to have something nice after working thirty years at the phone company.”

“I worked thirty-two years at the telephone company, Mark,” Ruth said, her hand resting flat against her purse.