My Brother-In-Law Borrowed My Phone At Dinner

Mom made a sharp noise. “Don’t talk like that in front of him.”

“Why? He lives here.”

Denise slapped me.

Not hard enough to knock me down. Hard enough to make the room stop.

My cheek burned. My eyes watered from reflex, which pissed me off more than the slap.

Deputy Miller moved between us.

Brandon said, “Jesus, Denise.”

And Mom, my own mother, said, “You continue reading …