I stared at him.
“I never received anything.”
His expression became more serious.
“Then something isn’t right.”“Oh, good. My mom finally called?”
I said nothing.
“The lease holder is here,” Corbin continued.
A pause.

“My wife told you I’m taking over the purchase.”

“I understand,” Corbin replied carefully. “Before we continue, I need to confirm the lease holder’s name.”

“Grady Whitlow.”Corbin glanced at me.

“Actually, sir, the lease holder is Karen Whitlow.”Silence.

Then Grady laughed nervously.

“Yeah, that’s my mom. She handles the paperwork.”

Corbin continued.

“There is also an additional authorization on the account. Do you know someone named Nathan Ellis?”

I heard Grady inhale.

“What?”“That is the name connected to an amendment on the account.”

“I don’t know anybody named Nathan.”

I finally spoke.

“Grady.”

His voice changed instantly.

“Mom?”

“Would you like to explain why someone I don’t know appears on paperwork connected to a vehicle I’ve been paying for?”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

Corbin quietly muted the microphone.

A few seconds later, Grady spoke again.

“I’m coming there.”

Then the line disconnected.

I expected anger.

I expected shouting.

What I didn’t expect was Kelsey arriving first.

At 9:47, the glass doors slid open, and she walked into the showroom.

“Where is she?”

Corbin looked at me.I had spent years giving my son everything I thought he needed.

Then, when I finally stopped solving every problem for him, I discovered something far more valuable.

He learned how to stand on his own.

And I finally learned how to let him.