Family Landlords Raise the Rent to Force One Sister Out
Vanessa slipped her designer sunglasses onto her head, her sigh long and dramatic.
“I have to make phone calls, Lauren,” she said.
“I have to find a new place because my last landlord was incredibly difficult.”
“Why did he evict you, anyway?” I asked, my fingers turning the silver dial of my wristwatch back and forth.
“It was a complete misunderstanding about the guest policy,” she said, sliding the sunglasses back down over her eyes.
“He was a very small-minded man who did not understand that people need flexibility.”
I looked past her to the hallway, where her two new cream-colored designer suitcases sat stacked against the baseboard.
They were pristine, with gleaming gold clasps and leather trim, looking far too expensive for someone who had just lost her home.
“Those are nice bags,” I said.
“They look brand new.”
“They were a necessity,” Vanessa said, turning her back to pour more coffee.
“A girl has to keep her things nice, even in a crisis.”
“We still need to talk about how we are splitting the utility bills,” I said.
