My Husband Bought Her Snacks But Not My Mom A Ticket Chapter 03
Gavin cleared his throat and told her to go to bed.
After Amber left, he pulled me into the bedroom and handed me his phone like nothing had happened.
“Paige, I bought Mom a ticket. Can you check if this time works?”
Seven-thirty in the morning. He couldn’t stand to have her here a minute longer.
I didn’t take the phone. Just said calmly, “Who said she’s leaving tomorrow?”
Gavin went still. His face slowly twisted into that look. That disgusted, instinctive rejection.
I knew that expression. For seven years, every time my mom came to visit, he’d make that face without even realizing it.
I used to think he just didn’t like living with an older person.
Now I got it.
Gavin looked down on my mom.
Maybe because she was from a rural county. Or maybe just because she wasn’t Amber’s mother.
“Paige, there are already too many people in this house,” he hinted again.
I nodded. “Then have Amber’s mom move out.”
“That wouldn’t be right.”
He shut that down immediately, looking at me like I was a child who didn’t understand.
“They’re guests.”
They were honored guests. My mom was the unwanted outsider.
I was almost grateful we didn’t have kids. Dividing everything would’ve been such a pain.
“Fine. Let your mom stay as long as she wants.”
He walked out, looking annoyed.
When I came out, my mom had already showered. I told her to sit down and rest while I started dinner.
But the second she sat down, Brenda shrieked, “Hey! Get up. I bought that cushion. Sit somewhere else.”
My mom jumped up, already apologizing to keep the peace. “Sorry, I didn’t know.”
Brenda didn’t let up. If anything, she got meaner. “Then ask first. Honestly, no manners.”
My mom froze. Her face crumpled like she was about to cry.
But she couldn’t fight back. She looked at Gavin for help. He acted like he didn’t hear anything, just stared at his phone.
I felt something was wrong. I turned off the exhaust fan.
Brenda’s voice cut through. She was scolding my mom like she was a kid.
“First you keep showing up at people’s houses. Then you refuse to leave. I’ve never seen someone so clueless.”
“You’re not young anymore. Have some shame.”
My brain went blank. I turned around and walked out.
My mom stood there frozen, completely checked out while Brenda kept going.
“You should leave tomorrow. Don’t you have crops to tend? Cotton? Wheat? Get out of—”
I slapped her across the face.
“Paige!”
Gavin—who’d been deaf a second ago—shoved me away. “You can’t just hit people!”
Amber ran over and hugged her mom, crying. “Mom, they’re so mean. We’re leaving right now.”
Brenda was having a full meltdown. “Getting slapped in the face at my age! I might as well just drop dead!”
She lunged for the table and grabbed a paring knife.
