The Birthday: Part 2

(Continued from previous post.)

A message popped up on her screen: Birthday Reminder—Martha’s birthday is September 19^th. September 19^th? That didn’t sound right; she thought it might be the 16^th, which was today. She called her mother.

“Hi Mom.”

“Hi”

“How are you doing?”

“Fine.”

“I just called to ask you if today was Martha’s birthday.”

“Yes; it is.”

“Did you do anything to celebrate?”

“A few days ago, your father and I went with her to her house in Baltimore.” (This would be the row house she had rehabbed, but was having trouble selling. She almost said, “and you bought her house for her birthday!” But, before she could say it, her mother was saying, “Your Dad and I bought the house from her and plan to rent it out.”)

“You’re kidding! I was just going to say that, but as a joke!”

“Why, what’s wrong with that?”

“Well, you already own one house that you can’t sell (in addition to the one they lived in.) and now you have two and the housing market is terrible.”

“Well, Martha was going under. She was just drowning in debt. Parent’s can’t stand by and watch their children suffer.”

“I can't believe it. I think I’m missing out. Will you replace my kitchen?”

“Anyway, we took her out for lunch at Fell’s Point for her birthday.”

Yeah, right, she thought.