Her face tightened.
“You embarrassed me in front of the street.”
I looked past her.
Nobody was outside.
“At 6:30 in the morning?”
“People saw.”
“Your car has embarrassed my children in front of their class three times.”
She laughed in disbelief.
“Don’t be dramatic.”
I felt my anger rise.
Then Mark touched my arm.
Not to stop me.
Just enough to remind me the boys were upstairs.
I lowered my voice.
“Do you know what Oliver asked me last week?”
Denise said nothing.
“He asked if his teacher thought he was naughty because his name kept going on the late chart.”
Something changed in her face.
Not enough.
But something.
“He asked me if we should leave home earlier because of you.”
Denise looked away.
“He is six.”
“I didn’t know.”
“You didn’t ask.”
“I don’t have children.”
“That doesn’t mean you don’t understand clocks.”
Mark coughed into his hand.
