something had changed.

He put down his drink and walked toward me.

“What’s going on?” Mark asked.

I looked at him.

“We’re leaving.”

My mother let out a short laugh.

“Leaving? Dinner hasn’t even started.”

I continued gathering the presents.

“You’re making a scene over a joke,” she said.

I looked up.

“That wasn’t a joke.”

“Oh, for heaven’s sake. She is a baby. She doesn’t even understand what I’m saying.”

“You’re right,” I replied quietly. “She doesn’t understand your words. But I understand exactly what you’re teaching everyone in