Olivia opened the door before I could knock.
For a moment, we simply looked at each other.
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Then she stepped aside and let me in.
The girls were out with friends. Mark wasn't home.
The house was silent.
I followed her into the kitchen and placed the reports on the table.
"Read them."
Confusion crossed her face.
Then she picked up the first page. As she continued reading, her expression changed.
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Confusion became disbelief.
Disbelief became shock.
By the time she reached the final report, tears had formed in her eyes.
"This isn't funny," she whispered.
"It's not a joke."
She looked at me.
Then back at the papers.
Then back at me again.
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"No."
The word sounded broken.
Almost childlike.
"No."
I had expected anger.
Denial.
Excuses.
What I hadn't expected was genuine devastation.
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Olivia collapsed into a chair and covered her mouth.
And suddenly, I realized something important; she wasn't acting. She looked as shocked as I was.
