“It wasn’t like that,” Mark said, rubbing the back of his neck again until the skin above his collar turned red.

“It was exactly like that,” Ruth said.

Carl picked up another wooden crate, set it down beside the truck bed, and rested both hands flat on the rough oak edge.

“My daughter spent eleven months cutting back on milk and fruit at the grocery store because you told her the household was running out of money,” Carl said, his voice low and steady.

“Carl, with respect, this is a private matter between Nora and me,” Mark said.