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Franklin answered on the third ring.
“Hello, Brandon.”
“What did you do?” Brandon shouted before Franklin could say another word.
Franklin leaned back in his leather chair at the attorney’s office and looked through the window overlooking downtown Houston.
“I sold the house.”
“You can’t sell my house!”
“It was never your house.”
There was silence.
Then nervous laughter.
“Stop joking.”
“I’m not.”
“You gave it to us.”
“I allowed you to live there.”
“That’s the same thing!”
“No, Brandon. It isn’t.”
Another long pause.
Franklin heard muffled voices in the background.
Someone was speaking to Brandon.
Likely the realtor’s representative who had arrived with the new owners.
“They’re saying we have seventy-two hours to leave,” Brandon finally said.
“That’s correct.”
“You planned this?”
“I planned nothing until last night.”
“You can’t do this to your own son.”
Franklin closed his eyes.
“For thirty years, I did everything for my son.”
“I paid for your education.”
“I paid your medical bills.”
“I helped you start your business.”
“I bought that house.”
“And last night, you repaid me with thirty slaps.”
Brandon’s breathing became heavier.
“I was angry.”
“So was I.”
“You know I didn’t mean—”
“You counted?”
Franklin interrupted.
“I did.”
“What?”
“I counted every time your hand hit my face.”
Silence filled the line again.
“Thirty.”
Brandon didn’t answer.
Franklin continued quietly.
“Do you know why I counted?”
“No.”
“Because with every slap, I realized I was losing another reason to protect you.”
…
Amber grabbed the phone.
“Mr. Reeves, this is ridiculous.”
“No. Ridiculous was watching you smile while your husband assaulted his father.”
“I never smiled.”
“You did.”
“You misunderstood.”
“I’ve negotiated billion-dollar contracts.”
“I know exactly what I saw.”
Her voice hardened.
“You’re destroying your own family.”
“No.”
“I stopped allowing my family to destroy me.”
She hung up.
…
By evening, Brandon appeared at Franklin’s apartment.
He looked exhausted.
His expensive suit was wrinkled.
His confidence had vanished.
“Dad.”
Franklin opened the door but didn’t invite him inside.
“What do you want?”
“I’m sorry.”
“For what?”
“For last night.”
Franklin waited.
Brandon looked down.
“I lost control.”
“No.”
“You revealed your character.”