“No.”
My voice caught. I waited until I could finish.
“You don’t owe me an answer tonight.”
Laura pressed her lips together.
I waited, wanting her to come closer, afraid that asking would turn the apology into another thing she had to answer.
“You don’t owe me an answer tonight.”
“So you’re choosing her,” Mom said. “Over your own mother. Fine. Perhaps you don’t need me in your life at all.”
“I want you in my life.”
She reached for her purse.
I opened my mouth to soften it. I couldn’t imagine never hearing from her again.
Laura stood quietly behind me.
“You’re choosing her,”
“But you can’t come over without an invitation,” I said. “And you can’t disrespect Laura.”
“You’d really do this?”
“Yes.”
She looked around the table. Nobody would meet her gaze.
“Well, I know when I’m not wanted.”
“Really?”
Mom left in a huff.
Marcus offered Laura and me his living room to talk.
