“That cost me almost two hundred dollars!”
Matthew dropped the cut cord into the velvet box.
“Ending the joke.”
“That cost me almost two hundred dollars!”
He stared at her.
“That’s what you’re worried about?”
“Dad, what is going on?”
Susan stopped.
No one moved.
Then Thomas said, “Dad, what is going on?”
Matthew looked at him.
His face had gone pale.
“Matthew, don’t.”
“I knew about it.”
Thomas frowned.
“What?”
Susan said sharply, “Matthew, don’t.”
He turned to her.
“You saw this before tonight?”
“No.”
Then he looked back at Thomas.
“She showed me the necklace on Tuesday.”
My stomach dropped.
Thomas stared at him.
“She showed it to me loose. She was laughing when she did.”
“You saw this before tonight?”
“Yes.”
Matthew’s voice was quiet.
“She showed it to me loose. She was laughing when she did.”
Susan stood up.
“I told her it was cruel. I told her not to give it to Claire.”
“Oh, please.”
Matthew ignored her.
“I told her it was cruel. I told her not to give it to Claire.”
Thomas looked from his father to his mother.
“And?”
She looked angry now.
Matthew swallowed.
“She agreed.”
Nobody spoke.
I looked at Susan.
