“Mira.”
“You don’t get to disappear, come back, and then move me somewhere so you can say less than you already are.”
Cassidy leaned against the table like she was settling in.
I lowered my voice. “You want to do this here?”
“No,” she said. “I want you to stop making me feel stupid.”
That landed.
I didn’t answer right away.
“You’re not stupid,” I said.
“You’re acting like I am.”
“I’m not.”
“You are.”
She didn’t raise her voice.
That made it worse.
“I’m trying to keep pressure off you,” I said.
“You keep saying that like it helps.”
“It explains it.”
“It excuses it.”
Cassidy looked down at the table.
No one else moved.
I stepped closer and rested a hand on the table near hers. “There are things I can’t put on you right now.”
“That’s your choice.”
“Yes.”
“At least that p
