Before Rico could press further, a soft voice floated in from the kitchen.
“Rico, has Maddie gotten up yet? Breakfast is ready!”
Jane appeared, balancing a plate in her hands, wearing Rico’s shirt from the night before. She beamed at Maddie as though the previous day’s chaos had never happened.
“Good morning, Maddie!”
Maddie bit back a bitter retort. “You two enjoy. I’m not hungry.” She turned to close the door, but Rico grabbed her arm.
“Don’t be rude,” he said, frowning. “Jane worked so hard to make breakfast despite her burned foot. She even woke up early to cook for you and you won’t eat?”
***
A laugh burst from Maddie’s lips—sharp, bitter and uncontrollable. The emotions she had buried for so long finally erupted, spilling out in a flood of anger and heartbreak.
“Rude? You’re calling me rude?” Her voice trembled, but it was steady enough to cut through the air. “Rico, it was Jane who bumped into me yesterday. But you didn’t even care to ask what happened. You blamed me—me! And now you’re talking about her burned foot? Did you know I had to get stitches? Did you know I needed a tetanus shot? Of course not. You didn’t even notice!”