Not one of them moved.
Not one of them said, That’s enough.
And then my eyes found Laura.
She was standing near the hydrangeas at the edge of the yard, her hands clasped so tightly in front of her that her knuckles had gone pale. Unlike her sister, she had never liked being the center of anything. She wore a simple blue dress, no flashy jewelry, no performance on her face. Just shock. And something worse than shock.
Shame.
For one strange, suspended second, I thought she might speak.
She didn’t.
Rebecca gave the envelope a little shake. “Well? Aren’t you going to beg?”
I set my plate down on the table with more care than I gave most things in that moment. Then I stood up.
My knees felt hollow, but my voice came out steady.
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