She left the drawer open.
I hung up and watched Laura add another shirt.
“What are you doing?”
“Packing.”
“Mom says you sent something to the family. Can you take it down? Then we can talk about…”
“Watch it first.”
“What are you doing?”
She handed me her phone.
The family had received a short clip.
She opened the original recording and moved through it for me.
There was Mom insulting the chicken, then reaching for more. There was Laura shifting in her chair, her smile faltering.
“Watch it first.”
Then I heard myself laugh.
Laura found the next section.
“Just ignore it, babe,” I heard myself say. “You know how she gets.”
I’d looked directly at her when I said it. She’d been waiting for me to do something, and I’d asked her to make it easier for me again.
I heard myself laugh.
The next part showed Mom finishing the cake.
