“That’s a smart move, Gavin. If you need a recommendation for a good realtor, let me know. But financially, I am staying out of it.”

He hung up without saying goodbye, and that was fine. He had to go through the fire on this one.

Sloan was probably throwing the tantrum of the century over losing her precious status symbol, but that wasn’t my circus anymore.

I went for an evening walk along the lake. The moonlight was reflecting off the water. I felt incredibly light, almost weightless.

The $800 they tried to extort from me was now paying for my own peaceful little life. A life with heat, sanity, and the absolute certainty that nobody was ever going to touch my coffee maker again.

Three months later, it was a gorgeous snowy January day at the lake.

My condo was toasty and warm, and the whole place smelled like the fresh apple pie I had just pulled out of the oven. I had made a great new group of friends, a local hiking club for seniors, and a fantastic book club.

My life was full, completely unburdened by the constant demands of my family.