“Ripping a hairpiece off a sick woman in front of three hundred people is not a joke,” I said.

Samantha pulled her hand back and let out a short, breathy sigh.

“We were all swept up in the celebration,” she said.

“Evelyn just caught me at a playful moment.”

Brandon sat next to her, staring fixedly at his plate of eggs Benedict.

He didn’t look up when his wife spoke about his mother.

I looked at my son and waited for him to add a single word to the apology.

Brandon picked up his coffee cup and took a slow sip, keeping his eyes on the saucer.