Chapter 3 - The Question That Stopped Everyone

Sophie ran up and grabbed my hand. "Grandma, come on, we're doing pictures!"

Several of the teenagers had gathered near the pool with their phones.

I hesitated. Ashley caught it.

"Maybe Grandma doesn't feel like being in pictures right now."

There it was again. Not an insult this time. Something worse. Permission to vanish.

"I'd love to be in the picture," I told Sophie.

I stood beside her with the towel still wrapped around me. Greg joined us. Ashley stepped in on his other side. One of the teenagers snapped a few shots.

Then Sophie frowned up at me. "Grandma, why are you wearing a towel in the picture?"

"Sophie," Ashley warned.

"She had her swimsuit on before."

"Leave Grandma alone."

Sophie looked genuinely confused. Then she said the thing that made three separate conversations die at once.

"Did you make her cover up 'cause she's wrinkly?"

Greg's head turned toward his wife. "What?"

"Sophie, that is enough," Ashley snapped.

"But that's what you said."

Greg stared at her. "You said what, exactly?"

Ashley glanced around. Everyone was listening now. "It wasn't like that."

I almost laughed. It had been exactly like that.

"Mom," Greg said. "Is that why you went inside?"

I didn't answer fast enough. He had it.

"Ashley?"

She folded her arms. "I was trying to keep Gloria from embarrassing herself."

"By humiliating her in front of the whole family?"

"I didn't humiliate anybody."

Sophie piped up before I could. "She cried in the bathroom."

"I did not cry," I said.

Sophie shrugged. "You looked like you were gonna."

Ashley's cheeks went red. "This is insane. I made one comment."

"About my mother's body." Greg's voice had gone flat and hard.

"I was being honest."

"No." Everyone looked at me. And for the first time all afternoon, I didn't care who was watching. "You were being cruel. You looked me up and down in front of my grandchildren and told me I was something people shouldn't have to see. Don't you dare call that honesty."

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Ashley's mouth opened.

Then Sophie pointed toward the side of the yard. "Mom — look."