r seat, staring out the window, refusing to look at Mark. Leo was asleep in hi

ng up the kitchen, moving with a stiff, deliberate anger. I slammed cabinets and washed d

hen and stood there for

eep this up all nigh

ust kept scrubbing a

ook, I know Brenda can be a lot, but you completely overreacted.

urned to face him, the

sly quiet. "Your sister implied our son was ill

ay? But you can' t just explode like that. Th

family, Brenda gets to be a monster, and everyone else has

in circles, with him defending his sister' s "bluntness" and me refusing to accep

ner of leftover party food, Brenda called. M

ned from the phone. "I can' t believe Sarah woul

moment of genuine annoyance with his sister's dra

tone changed. She soun

to apologize. I didn' t mean to ru

my mouth. This was new.

e, his eyes pleading. "See? She' s sorry. Just

ulative game. But another part of me was just so tired of fight

enda," I said,

t almost sounded sincere. "My sense of humor isn' t

anger soften. I looked at Mark, who was nodding at m

I said quietly. "

nd of the line. Then Brenda laug

nally seeing reason. For a minute there, I thought you were going to hold a grudge forever. It' s so unat

hung

victory lap. She had manipulated me into accepting a fake apology ju

mask of stunned disbelief. He had

on my plate. The clink was

renewed fury, "speaking to your sister again.

feel Mark' s eyes on my back, but for the first time, I didn' t care what he was thi