“She told me you were covering the down payment as soon as Claire finished signing the bank releases.”

“I was managing your mother’s demands,” Daniel said, turning his chair toward her.

“You know how reactive she gets whenever expenses come up.”

“She had me check the mailbox every Tuesday afternoon for the Community First Bank notices,” Ava said.

Ava stood in the middle of the kitchen, her arms folded tightly across her chest as she looked between her father and the papers on the table.

“Mom told me you were buying the house for us.