"Are you deaf, Corinne? Do you understand what you just did? I've aged out—this was my last chance to take the exam. Because of you, years of work just went down the drain."
Corinne's expression turned panicked.
"Calvin, I'm sorry, I didn't know! Queenie didn't explain it clearly."
I laughed in disbelief.
"Corinne, you're a college student now. Can you not understand plain English? I told you I had something important today and asked you not to come into the room. But you barged in anyway—with a speaker, dancing."
Corinne burst into tears.
"I really didn't mean to! If I'd known it was you, I never would have done it."
Calvin looked at her sobbing face with growing impatience.
"Corinne, is crying the only thing you know how to do?"
That evening, Corinne somehow managed to coax him back into a good mood.
"Calvin, I'll make your favorite braised fish tonight—to make up for what I did."
When I stepped out of my room, I caught a whiff of gas. In my previous life, I had specifically reminded Corinne to turn off the gas after cooking to prevent poisoning.