So we walked to the park two blocks from the school because it had shade and a bench wide enough for all of us. Clarissa followed, still dressed like she was on her way to a charity lunch.
Then Nora asked the first question.
We sat under a maple tree.
Nobody spoke for almost a minute.
Then Nora asked the first question.
"Did you ever miss us?"
Clarissa inhaled sharply. She's obviously expected a teary reunion instead of pointed questions.
Lily went next.
Clarissa looked at me first, ready to divert the blame somehow.
"Did you know Dad worked two jobs?"
Gabriella's voice came smallest of all.
"Did you ever wonder what we sounded like when we laughed?"
Clarissa looked at me first, ready to divert the blame somehow.
She said I had made everything harder. That I had never understood her. That she had been drowning too.
Nora cut in before I could answer.
