Sylvia had brought lamps from her house.
Ethan was standing near the dining table talking to a man in a navy blazer.
Sylvia came out of the kitchen carrying a serving bowl.
Both of them froze.
For once, I was the person in the room they hadn't planned for.
"Claire," Ethan said.
His boss turned.
For once, I was the person in the room they hadn't planned for.
"I thought you were handling a family emergency," he said. "Is everything okay?"
"Perfectly, thanks for asking." I smiled. "I simply couldn't miss this."
Sylvia stared at me like she wanted to drag me outside.
Nobody asked me to leave.
So I decided to see how long Ethan's version of our happy family could survive an ordinary conversation.
"I simply couldn't miss this."
Dinner was painfully polite.
Until Rebecca asked, “And where's the baby tonight?”
“She's with my brother and sister-in-law,” I said. “She's recovering well.”
