The transfer at the county records office had come down to the last step.
My parents stood at the signing counter, clutching a savings passbook they'd built up over a lifetime, glowing with anticipation.
Stewart Dickerson pulled me into the corner by the stairwell. His voice was low, but there wasn't a shred of doubt in it.
"Lucy, Mel's brother is getting married, and the bride's family won't go through with it without a home in a good school district. I'll just put this place in Mel's name for now, as a stopgap."
"Once the New Year passes and her brother's wedding is done, we'll switch the name back. Be reasonable about this. Don't make a scene in front of the elders."
I stared at the property application form in his hand, Melinda Fox's name already filled in. "My parents emptied their retirement savings to buy this house, and you want to put your ex-girlfriend's name on it?"
He knit his brows, his whole face full of disappointment. "Mel has nowhere left to turn. We're about to be husband and wife. You can't even find it in you to be that generous?"
At the signing counter, my mother was still dreaming about babysitting our future kids, carefully wiping down her reading glasses.
And Melinda stood there smug, ID card in hand, ready to press her thumbprint onto the form.
I shoved Stewart aside and walked straight to the window and snatched back every down-payment receipt.
"Dad, Mom, we're not buying the house. And I'm not getting married."
……
At my words, Melinda's hand froze in midair with the ID still in it, the smugness on her face setting into pure shock.
My mother gripped that bank passbook with its password written inside, staring at me, bewildered and frightened.
"Lucy, you… what did you say?"
"What is wrong with you?"
Stewart lunged forward and grabbed my wrist.
He dropped his voice and hissed the words out through his teeth.
"Lucy Pruitt! You've got no shame, but I still do! Look at all these people watching. Who is this scene for?"
He hauled at me, trying to drag me back into the corner.
"Aren't you always the reasonable one? Go apologize to the clerk, now! Just tell them we agreed to put Mel's name on it first!"
My mother looked at us, then at Melinda standing lost in front of the window, and finally understood that the house she and Dad had emptied their retirement savings to buy was really about to end up in a stranger's hands.
Her hands trembled.
"Clack."
That passbook she'd treasured hit the floor.
The small sound of it went straight through my heart.
I wrenched my wrist free of Stewart with everything I had, a red mark rising on it in an instant.
I ignored him and turned to the clerk at the window.
"This house. We're not buying it."
A ripple of murmuring ran through the crowd waiting in line in the hall.
"What's going on?"
"Sounds like the groom wants to put the house in his ex-girlfriend's name…"
"With the bride's family's money?"
The voices jabbed into my ears like needles.
The real estate agent hurried over, sweating, and lowered his voice in embarrassment.
"Miss Pruitt, this… this isn't something to joke about. The seller's side is still waiting to finish the process, and the down payment…"
"Excuse me, which of you is actually doing the transfer?" The clerk rapped on the glass, face cold.
"There are people waiting behind you. If you don't settle this, your number gets voided!"
My mother bent down, hands shaking, and picked the passbook up off the floor, wiping the dust off it with her rough fingers.
My father stood, slammed his reading glasses down onto the seat.
He pointed at Stewart. "Stewart! What gives you the right? What gives you the right to take my family's money to keep somebody else!"
Stewart flinched at the shout, but he brushed my father's fury off completely.
He didn't even glance at him. Instead he spun around, urgently, pressing Melinda, who was still frozen in place.
"Mel, don't move! Get over to the window and hold our spot! Don't let them cancel the number!"
He turned back to us, to everyone gathered around watching, and argued his case at the top of his voice.
