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something to say but was angry and frustrated by her mother’s retreat and refusal to speak. She picked up her purse and found a tissue and wiped the oil from her nose when she folded the tissue back into her purse she found a packet of gum.
    “Gum?”
    Her mother nodded.
    Euly handed Belle a stick of gum. Belle took off the gum’s wrapper and Euly offered her hand to take it and throw it away. They both sat quietly and chewed. With her hands on the photo album, Belle watched Euly who was still fumbling and zipping up a compartment inside her purse. After she was done she latched the purse and set it next to the chair beside her. She looked at her mother and sighed.
    “You know, mother. Micaiah was like a brother to me.”
    “I won’t do this, Euly.” Belle looked away and out the window.
    “When he died, I was crushed. Do you remember?”
    “Of course I remember. He was only fourteen. How can I not remember?” Belle frowned at Euly.
    “It was awful.”
    Belle’s chin began to quiver and she anxiously searched the tray for something to wipe her nose. Euly pulled out more tissue and handed it to her mother.
    “Why are you doing this to me? Can’t you leave it alone? I won’t talk about it. Not with you or anyone else! Drop it, Euly.”
    “This is so unfair, mother. You drop this bomb and then tell me you won’t talk about it?” She gave her mother a moment to respond. “Mother if Micaiah was my brother,” Belle rolled her eyes away, “then I have every right to know about it!” Once again, Euly’s voice arced. But, before Belle could reprimand her, Euly spoke.
    “Don’t tell me to keep my voice down. I’m an adult now. Are you going to explain about Micaiah, or not?”
    Belle looked stiff and lifted her chin. “Not.”
    “Then, I’ll have to find out on my own, I guess.”
    “Euly, no.”
    “I decided last night that if you weren’t truthful with me today, I’d just have to take matters into my own hands.”
    “Euly…”
    “I’m leaving for Phoenix on Friday. You have two days to think about it, to come clean.”
    As she spoke, Euly picked up her purse and stood. “I’m fifty, mother. Do you think that’s old enough to deal with the truth?”
    “Do you think I’m old enough to deal with the truth?”
    Belle always had a way of pulling rank on Euly.
    But, Euly had enough.
    “Don’t correct me, mother. We’re not in school.” Euly walked to the door but stopped. “So, what is it? Shall I stay?”
    Her mother opened her mouth to speak but stopped short, then turned her head casually back to the photos and began flipping through them.
    “God, mother, you’re infuriating!” She grumbled and walked out.

     
    CHAPTER TEN
    The sizzling garlic pattered like one million army ants tramping across a forest floor and echoed through the kitchen drifting lightly into the den where Geoff watched golf on the television.
    Euly’s mind replayed the conversation with her mother as she chopped with a heavy chef’s knife. She conducted a silent quarrel with herself under her breath after quartering an onion and slicing it into halves, and cubing those crosswise into inch-sized pieces. She then began cutting the smaller pieces into even smaller pieces until she’d diced the onion. As she continued to cut in fast hard strokes, chopping the onion into a mince, its peppery fumes hit her in the nose and her tear ducts and sinuses let loose.
    She tried to wipe her eyes on her sleeve near her shoulder and sniffed loudly but continued to chop through it all. As her speed quickened in a race to finish, she nicked her finger with the knife’s sharp blade.
    She grumbled out. “Dammit!” And dropped the knife onto the counter, flipped on the faucet, and grabbed a paper towel to hold to her wounded finger.
    “Are you okay, honey?” Geoff asked without turning his head from the TV.
    “I cut myself.”
    “Again?”
    “Don’t.” Euly wasn’t joking but Geoff couldn’t tell. His attention was split