Carmen pressed her lips together.

I waited for her to ask me to remove it, or to say that Elena had no place in the house.

Instead, she looked at the concert invitation again.

“What if Renata asks me why I lied?”

“You will have to answer her without asking her to make you feel better about it.”

Carmen’s face changed at that, though she did not argue.

She stepped away from the porch and started down the path.