That laugh gave everyone else permission.
The nearest relatives smiled first.
Then Blake laughed and lifted his glass as though he were honoring a clever toast.
A few people followed because they assumed anything the hostess said must have been safe.
Others looked uncomfortable but said nothing.
Lila lowered her eyes to her phone.
Her thumb moved over a screen that had gone dark.
Warren picked up the wine list and studied it with sudden concentration.
I stood beside the empty chair with my purse still on my shoulder and my mother’s gift in my hand.
The room smelled of perfume, candle wax, steak, and expensive wine.
The sounds around me seemed too clear.
A fork touched a plate.
Someone shifted a chair.
The kitchen door swung shut behind a server.
