Calm and sharp as ever, my mom said, “You must be confused. My daughter owns this home—alone. So you’ll be leaving.” Deborah’s eyes widened, waiting for Todd to back her up.
But Todd didn’t flinch. “You will not speak about Meredith that way,” he told her. “This is our home. Our family. You’re not welcome if you can’t respect that.” With no support, Deborah stormed out.
Later, we discovered she had secretly sold her house, planning to live with us without asking. Instead, she moved in with a cousin—one she’d long looked down on.
That night, Meredith fell asleep between us. Todd squeezed my hand and whispered, “She’s mine too.” In that moment, I knew—we hadn’t just defended our daughter. We had chosen love over fear, and finally become a real family.