Carmen suddenly looked up and caught my eye. Her smile did not falter, but her hand stopped rubbing her knee for a fraction of a second before she resumed her sighing.
“Zayden, darling,” she called out, her voice loud enough to silence the nearest table of guests. “You are home early.”
The women turned to look at me, their glasses raised in curiosity.
I took a slow breath, forcing my face into a polite, neutral mask. “I had no idea we were hosting so many guests today.”
“Oh, it is just a little gathering of my new friends from the garden club,” Carmen said, waving her hand dismissively. “Jessica was more than happy to help me set it up.”
“Where is Jessica?” I asked, my voice remaining flat.
“She is around somewhere, dear,” Carmen said, turning back to the woman in the yellow dress. “Probably tending to little Olivia. You know how children can be when there is excitement in the house.”
The woman in the yellow dress laughed, setting the silver platter back onto the tablecloth with a soft clink. “Your mother has been telling us all about your wonderful work, Zayden. You must be so proud of this gorgeous place.”
“It is a comfortable home,” I said.
I looked at the silver platter, noting the delicate floral engraving around the rim. It was tarnished in the corners, a detail Jessica would normally never overlook.
“Well, don’t just stand there like a stranger, darling,” Carmen said, her voice dripping with maternal warmth. “Go find your family. I am sure they are eager to welcome you back.”
I looked around the crowded room again, but there was still no sign of my wife or my daughter.
A low clattering sound, like heavy ceramic sliding against metal, came from behind the closed kitchen door.
I stepped silently toward the kitchen to investigate the noise.
A woman in a silk blouse stopped me near the dining table, holding out her empty glass.
