That one at least made me laugh, a short, bitter sound that bounced off the kitchen cabinets. I was the woman who checked her credit score like some people checked the weather. I was the woman who kept an emergency folder in a fireproof box. I knew exactly what I owned because I’d spent years terrified of owning the wrong thing.
I grabbed my phone and called the number printed at the bottom of the letter.
The line rang twice. A calm voice picked up, professional and kind, the kind of voice you trust because it sounds like it belongs to someone who has never had a catastrophe in her entire life.
“Thank you for calling Horizon Lending, this is Megan. How can I help you today?”
“Hi,” I said, and my voice came out thin. “I… I received a mortgage delinquency notice. But there’s a mistake.”
Megan’s tone stayed warm. “I’m sorry to hear that. Can I get your account number?”
I read it to her. My fingers kept sliding across the paper because they were sweaty.
I heard keyboard clicks. A pause. Then Megan said, “Okay, I see the account. For verification, may I have your full name, date of birth, and the last four of your Social?”