You saw my mother’s reaction coming a mile off and are smirking at the thought that I could be so naïve. But I ask: If my wife at some subconscious level recognized me without even realizing it, shouldn’t the woman who gave birth to me have had at least a flicker of connection with me as a dog? “This is exactly the sort of thing I would expect from you, Emily,” my mother went on. “A complete lack of understanding for everything my son really was. He never would have allowed a dog in here. Just as he never would have promised you this apartment.” Emily stood silently, her jaw tight. “But that’s beside the point. I am here because I learned that you paid the overdue apartment maintenance. Tell me, Emily, where did you get the money?” My wife debated, and if I could have I would have shouted, Tell her the truth! “Sandy had a joint account in both our names. Legally, that money is now mine, and I used it to pay the fees.” My mother’s mouth set in a hard line. “If Sandy left you a joint account, why didn’t you use it earlier?”
