“What do you need, Mrs. Emily?”
“I want you to call Sarah and tell her I am willing to talk to her, but under my conditions.”
“What conditions?”
“The meeting will be at the house at five in the afternoon. You, Robert, David as a witness, and I will be present. No lawyers, no shouting, no threats.”
“Are you sure, Mrs. Emily?”
“Completely sure. And if she does not accept the conditions, then there is no meeting. But Linda, I need you to make it very clear that this is her last opportunity to talk to me. If she rejects this meeting, or if she comes with lawyers, or if she disrespects anyone present, there will not be a next time.”
“Understood, Mrs. Emily.”
An hour later, Linda called me back.
“Mrs. Emily, I spoke with Sarah, and at first she got very upset. She said, ‘Why do other people have to be present?’”
“What did you tell her?”
“I told her those were your conditions, to take them or leave them.”
“And in the end, what did she decide?”
“She is going to come. But she said this was ridiculous and that you were being very dramatic.”
“Linda, are you and Robert comfortable being present?”
“Yes, Mrs. Emily. We want to support you.”
I spent the rest of the day mentally preparing for the confrontation. I put on my new emerald green dress, the one that made me feel strong and sure of myself.
At four-thirty, I arrived at the house. Linda had prepared coffee and arranged the chairs in the living room so we could all sit comfortably. Robert had cut some flowers from the garden and put them in a vase in the center of the table. David arrived punctually at five to five.
“Mrs. Emily, are you ready for this?”
“As ready as one can be.”
At five o’clock exactly, Sarah arrived. I saw her from the window. She came alone, dressed in a formal black suit, as if it were a business meeting. Her expression was one of annoyance and determination.
Linda opened the door.
“Hello, Sarah. Come in, please.”
Sarah entered and looked around the living room. It was the first time she had seen the furnished house since the day she found it empty.
“I see you bought new furniture,” she told me without greeting me.
“Hello, Sarah. Yes, I bought what was necessary.”
She sat in the chair facing me. Linda and Robert sat on one side, David on the other.
“Why do all these people have to be present?” Sarah asked, annoyed.
“Because they are witnesses to this conversation. And because they are the people who have supported me when you decided to disrespect me.”
“Mom, this is ridiculous.”
“Sarah, I established the rules of this meeting very clearly. If you are not willing to respect them, you can leave right now.”
She settled in the chair with a gesture of annoyance.
“Okay. What do you want me to do?”
