“Amanda,” she finally announced without glancing toward the doorway where I stood frozen, her voice carrying casual authority rather than curiosity or apology. “This wall will obviously need removal, because when we relocate here next month we are certainly going to require significantly more living space.”
A sudden heaviness settled into my stomach, confusion colliding violently with disbelief as my mind struggled desperately to reinterpret words that felt impossible within any reasonable version of reality. I blinked repeatedly, convinced I had misunderstood something fundamental, before forcing myself to respond with measured restraint despite the sharp unease tightening painfully across my chest.
“Deborah, could you please clarify precisely what you mean by relocating here next month,” I asked carefully, my voice betraying tension I could no longer disguise convincingly. “Who exactly is planning to move into this house, and why was I not informed beforehand?”