Before Maddie could unleash the retort bubbling in her chest, her phone rang. She took a deep breath to steady herself before answering.
“Hello?” she said, her voice still taut with emotion.
“Hi, Miss Evans. I’m with the clothing donation service. You scheduled a pickup for today? I’m at your building now—may I come up?”
“Yes, I’m home. Please come up to the apartment,” Maddie replied, grateful for the distraction.
After hanging up, she dragged three large bags of clothing from her room to the front door.
Rico watched her with a frown. “Why are you giving away so many clothes?”
Maddie shot him a cold glance. “They’re my clothes. What does it matter to you?” Her gaze shifted to Jane. “If you two don’t want to be seen, I suggest going back to your room before the donation staff gets here.”
Jane flinched at Maddie’s tone but quickly masked it with a polite smile. She tugged on Rico’s arm and they retreated to his bedroom.
***
After the donation staff left, Maddie reluctantly joined Rico and Jane at the dining table for breakfast. Under Rico’s insistence, she picked up a bowl of cereal and forced herself to eat.