“Constantly. I just save my energy for things that matter.”
She smiled, and I smiled back.
“You’re too nice.”
It made me angrier. Mom was forgiving her for something Elaine hadn’t even apologized for.
Then my phone lit up.
Elaine.
I let it ring. A text came right after.
CALL ME. NOW.
I typed back.
CALL ME. NOW.
Andrew will be here at six. We can talk then.
“Mom, I’m getting some water.”
“Go. And be nice.”
“I’m always nice.”
I was halfway down the hall when I heard fast footsteps behind me.
It had been ten minutes since Elaine walked away. She came toward me looking angrier than I’d ever seen her.
“I’m always nice.”
“You had no right to do that!”
“Right to do what, Elaine?”
“You know exactly what you did!”
She shoved her phone at my face.
“Do you have any idea what it felt like to open this?”
