“They don’t need car doors slamming and corporate directors clattering up the steps like they own the street.”

“I drove straight home from the station, Daniel.”

He rubbed the back of his neck and glanced down at the briefcase in my right hand.

“You think that title makes you the boss of this house, but titles don’t mean anything here,” he said, his voice flat and slow.

I turned my silver thumb ring once and pressed my briefcase handle tighter against my side.

“I paid the whole mortgage draft on Tuesday, Daniel.”