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His mom froze, and a tide of red swept over her face as she stared first at Stella and then the bowl "Let me make new noodles"

Before his rabbed it "I’ll do it Sit, Mẹ" His expression was strained as he re that she’d said The Wrong Thing, but she didn’t kno else she could have navigated the situation

His mom sat down and eyed Michael’s sisters as they continued their argu, she picked up her peeler and resuo

Stella kept her eyes on her oork, growingmoment She was painfully aware of the lack of conversation between theed her to fill the silence--if silence was even the right word His , but his sisters were, and the TV had been blasting this whole tiain, her nerves stretched to the breaking point That flat A note rang one, two-three, four ti?

"You really should get the piano tuned," she said "Where is your husband again?"

When his , Stella assuain "Where is he?"

"He’s gone," his mom said in a final tone

"Does that meanhe’s passed away?" Should she offer condolences? She wasn’t sure what to say now

His o "I don’t know"

The answer tripped Stella up, and she frowned as she asked, "Are you divorced, then?"

"I can’t divorce him if I can’t find him"

Stella stared at Michael’s mom in complete bafflement "What do you e hand gripped her shoulder and squeezed with firm pressure Michael "The noodles are almost done Do you eat peanuts?"

She blinked at the interruption "Sure, I’ic" When he nodded and went to the kitchen island, she refocused on his -person re--"

"Stella" Michael’s voice split through the air, a startling repri, and all eyes locked on her Her heart pounded louder than the TV and the piano What had she done?

"We don’t talk about my dad," he said

That didn’t make any sense "But what if he’s hurt or--"

"You can’t hurt someone when they don’t have a heart," his mom interrupted "He left us all to be with another woman I want to divorce hied his phone number" His mom pushed her chair back and stood "Mẹ’s tired You kids eat, ah? Maybe go buy soirlfriend if she doesn’t like e have"

His rand the rooe The sudden quietness was a relief, but it felt ominous somehow Her blood rushed, her head throbbed, and her breaths ca Orto run

Janie hurried into the kitchen "What just happened? Why is Mo?"

No one answered, but seven sets of eyes accused her It orse than all the noise from before, far, far worse

She’d made Michael’s uilt, and she ju her head, she gathered her purse and fled