She looked angry now.
Angry that Matthew was telling us.
Not embarrassed.
Angry that Matthew was telling us.
He continued.
“I told her to return it. She said she would.”
Thomas’s voice changed.
“I believed her.”
“So you knew this would happen?”
“No.”
Matthew shook his head.
“I believed her. When I saw that box tonight, I was afraid she’d brought it anyway.”
Susan crossed her arms.
“Yes, but then I thought about what he said.”
“This is being blown completely out of proportion.”
I finally found my voice.
“You promised him you wouldn’t give it to me?”
She looked at me.
“Yes, but then I thought about what he said.”
“It means everyone walks on eggshells around her.”
“Thought about what?”
She exhaled hard.
“How ridiculous all of this has become.”
Thomas stepped closer.
“What does that mean?”
“Nobody can mention babies.”
“It means everyone walks on eggshells around her.”
She pointed at me.
“Nobody can mention babies. Nobody can joke without checking her face.”
My sister said, “She’s grieving.”
Susan snapped, “I know that.”
“That’s exactly why I did it.”
“Do you?”
“Yes.”
Her voice rose.
“That’s exactly why I did it.”
I stared at her.
“If we could laugh about it once, maybe it wouldn’t have so much power.”
