We walked up the steps together; Gina greeted us at the door, wearing pearls and a smile as tight as a piano string.
“You read my mind.”
“Stella. You look… fresh,” she said, her gaze drifting to my hands.
I wondered if she could still smell the bleach on my skin. “Thank you for having us, Gina.”
Her eyes moved to Audrey. “My, that’s a bright dress. Did you sew it yourself?”
Audrey shook her head, her voice polite. “No, Grandma. But it has pockets.”
A cousin snorted behind us. Duncan appeared with a drink, nodding at me but not meeting my eyes. “We started the roast, girls. Hope you’re hungry.”
We settled in, and Audrey’s hand found mine under the table.
I wondered if she could still smell the bleach on my skin.
***
