My parents told everyone I was a waitress, for nin…

to the kitchen, inventory, preps, the particular comfort of counting things that stayed where you put them.

My phone sat on the prep station counter. Three missed calls from Nadine, two from mom, one text from my father.

“We need to talk.” Four words that had never preceded anything good in the history of language.

I did not reply. I sat on my prep stool continue reading …