Derek stepped into the hallway and froze when he saw me staring at the luggage. He looked like a child caught breaking something fragile.
“Brooke,” Derek said carefully, “you’re home.”
“Yes,” I replied slowly, glancing toward the living room. “Why does it look like an airport in my hallway?”
Pamela’s voice floated out before Derek could answer. “We’re in here, sweetheart.”
I walked into the living room and saw Pamela seated squarely in the center of my couch with her purse placed beside her like a territorial marker. Brittany had plugged her phone into the wall outlet near our bookshelf, and Gerald had claimed the remote control and turned the volume high enough to rattle the window frames.
Pamela smiled at me with theatrical warmth. “Surprise, Brooke. We’re staying for a little while.”
I kept my tone even. “Since when?”
Derek rubbed the back of his neck. “It’s temporary.”
“How temporary?” I asked, still standing.
Pamela waved her hand dismissively. “We had to leave our apartment. The landlord sold the building. It is complicated. We figured family helps family.”
Brittany crossed her legs and added, “And before you ask, we are not paying rent. That would be ridiculous. We are guests.”