I squeezed her hand.
“I can do that.”
She smiled faintly.
“And Kylie? Don’t let them make you think you were wrong about the house.”
***
Back in the dining room, Mom stood beside her chair.
I squeezed her hand.
Uncle Colin had pulled Grandma’s wooden box toward him.
“I shouldn’t have read your message,” I told Mom. “Grandma trusted me, and I let her down.”
“You embarrassed me in front of everyone, Kylie.”
“I shouldn’t have shared it. But you sent that message, Mom. Grandma had to read it alone.”
Uncle Colin closed the box.
“Can we get back to discussing the house?”
“I let her down.”
“No. Grandma doesn’t want to discuss it tonight.”
Colin leaned back, clearly annoyed.
Mom stepped closer.
“Why are you making us look like terrible children?”
“Because I’ve watched Grandma wait for your visits for years. I want to understand why you’ve stopped coming.”
