he outside world, I

ore frequent, her voice

nny through the phone speaker. "She would have at l

was sitting on the couch, swirling a glass o

w she gets. She's p

ssed? Ab

up the credit cards again. A lot this time. I think she's just hiding out until she f

by a hundred dollars and was nervous to tell him-and twisting it into this grand nar

dit card bill before I could tell him. He didn't yell. He did something wo

I work so hard for this family. For you and Leo. When you do something like th

guilty. He held my hand, hi

on our budget," he said. "It's okay. I

t it was: a rehearsal. He was practicing how to make me t

voice was full of doubt, but also a sliver of weary ac

urged. "She'll come back when

rink of his whiskey. He looked sati

but my form passed right through him like a puff of smoke. I flickered the lights in the living room, pouring al

nced up,

use," he muttered, and

faulty wire. I could see everything, hear

ne of the other moms, a woman I used to

u guys in a while. Where's

aughing it off. "Took off for a spa retreat or some

uch convincing charm. The woma

need a break sometimes

va, the free spirit. Ava, the financially irresponsible wife. Ava, the woman w