He picked up the fake leather ledger that had been brought to this intervention.

The book was thick, full of handwritten columns and false totals meant to prove my failure.

His knuckles hit the hard wood of the table.

One, two, three times.

He turned his head slowly toward the other side of the kitchen.

Ranata sat perfectly still in her chair.

She reached for her left hand with her right.

Her fingers found her diamond wedding rings and twisted them hard.