“Children do foolish things when they are excited,” Elaine said. I could hear the faint click of her pearls through the receiver, a sound I knew meant she was adjusting her necklace with her free hand. “Gage is under an enormous amount of pressure with his investments right now, and he doesn’t need this drama.”
“He was sitting in his car watching it happen,” I said, my voice rising slightly. “He didn’t even get out to help us.”
“Your brother has a business to run, Lauren, and he cannot be expected to manage every little playground dispute.”
“This wasn’t a dispute, Mom. The manager had to evacuate the entire building because of her.”
“Well, your brother has to make some very difficult choices this month,” Elaine said, her tone sharpening just enough to reveal her irritation. “If we do not support him during these transitions, we all suffer.”
“I am not co-signing that credit union loan,” I said.
The line went completely silent for several seconds, the quiet so heavy I could hear the wind rattling the front window.
