At that moment I realized something painful and permanent. I was completely alone in that house.
Chapter 3
Dinner that evening felt less like a family meal and more like a quiet interrogation. My father sat at the head of the table drinking whiskey while Tiffany calmly ate her food across from me.
The silence continued for several minutes before my father finally placed his glass down and looked directly at me. “Grace you have something to say,” he said firmly.
I stared at my plate for a long moment while forcing the words through my throat. “I’m sorry Tiffany,” I said quietly.
“Speak clearly so we can hear you,” my father replied without raising his voice.
“I’m sorry for breaking the plate and running outside,” I repeated while keeping my eyes on the table. Tiffany smiled warmly as if she had just forgiven a small mistake.
“It’s alright sweetheart,” she said sweetly. “We forgive each other in this family.”
The lie floated through the dining room like invisible poison.