alone. So, how would you feel about spending Christmas at my place instead? I’ll come get you.”
There was a pause.
Then a soft, excited laugh.
“Oh, sweetheart, I’d love that. It’s been a while since I saw your apartment. Your mother’s been so busy, she hardly lets me visit.”
“Yeah,” I said, staring at the wall. “Busy.”
After hanging up, I checked the chats again.
My mother had created a smaller side group labeled immediate family only and was furiously typing.
Notifications stacked up.
“I don’t know what’s wrong
