I stayed near the table.
My mother looked at Michelle first.
“How long?”
“Nothing happened.”
“That wasn’t my question.”
Michelle inhaled.
“A few days.”
Laura shook her head.
“You expect me to believe you woke up four days ago and suddenly developed feelings for him?”
“No.”
The answer surprised both of us.
Michelle looked down.
“No,” she repeated. “I think I noticed something the day he arrived. I didn’t understand it. I didn’t want it.”
“And the bedroom?”
My stomach dropped.
Laura had no reason to know about that.
Michelle’s face changed.
My mother saw it.
“Oh my God.”
I stepped forward.
“Mom.”
Laura looked at me.
“What happened?”
“Nothing.”
“That answer is doing a lot of work today.”
Michelle whispered, “I walked into his room after my shower.”
Laura closed her eyes.
“It was stupid.”
“Stupid?”
“I was confused.”
Laura stared at her.
“You don’t accidentally walk into the guest room. You’ve lived here for twelve years.”
