Kloe looked up first.
Her face changed immediately.
“Natalie?”
Julian froze.
“What are you doing here?”
Kloe stood.
“You said you weren’t coming back until next month.”
I looked at her.
“I wanted to surprise Mom.”
Julian stared at me.
Then recognition slowly crossed his face.
“Wait.”
He pointed toward me.
“You’re the sister from Dubai?”
I stepped farther into the room.
“I’m the owner of this house.”
Silence.
Then I added:
“And I just heard you call my mother the maid.”
Julian gave a nervous laugh.
He adjusted the collar of his robe.
“You’re taking that out of context.”
“Am I?”
“It was a joke.”
He gestured toward my mother.
“Your mother likes staying busy. It gives her purpose.”
I stared at him for several seconds.
Then I said:
“You have thirty minutes to pack your clothes and leave.”
Kloe shot up from the sofa.
“You can’t do that.”
“I just did.”
“We’ve lived here for two years!”
She pointed at my mother.
“Mom let us stay. This is our home too.”
Julian moved beside her.
Suddenly, he seemed more confident.
“She’s right.”
He took a slow sip of his drink.
