At 2 A.M., a Hidden

sharp, and fiercely proud. She had the kind of presence that made housekeepers stand straighter and waiters refill her glass before she asked.

She told me she wanted to help.

“Ava needs rest,” she said. “You need to work. Let me handle the house for a while.”

I should have noticed the way Ava’s hand tightened around mine when my mother said that.

I should continue reading …