“Sit.”
He pointed toward the chair.
“Please.”
Linda remained standing.
Jason continued.
“Nobody said monster.”
“We’re saying you lied.”
“You ignored Riley.”
“You planned to enter her apartment after she told you no.”
“You involved my kids.”
“You made us look like idiots standing in that hallway.”
Linda looked toward Stephanie.
“Do you agree?”
Stephanie did not hesitate.
“Yes.”
The betrayal landed visibly.
Linda sat.
For several seconds nobody spoke.
Then Riley removed her phone.
She opened the Thanksgiving photograph.
Placed it on the coffee table.
Linda frowned.
“What is that?”
“Thanksgiving.”
“I know.”
Riley pointed to the caption.
My whole family.
Linda looked confused.
“What does this have to do with Christmas?”
“Everything.”
Riley looked around the room.
“You asked me to come early.”
“I shopped.”
“I cooked.”
“I watched the kids.”
“I took the picture.”
“Then you posted your whole family.”
“And I wasn’t in it.”
Linda sighed.
“Oh, Riley.”
There.
The dismissal.
The thing Riley knew best.
She continued.
“It’s not about one picture.”
“Then stop talking about the picture.”
“It’s about being useful but invisible.”
Linda’s face changed.
Riley felt tears beginning but continued.
“If somebody needs something, you remember exactly where I am.”
“If there’s work to do, you remember my schedule.”
“If Jason needs help, you remember my phone number.”
“But when there’s nothing to do?”
She touched the photograph.
“I’m behind the camera.”
Linda shook her head.
“That is ridiculous.”
Aunt Carol’s voice came from the doorway.
“Actually, it isn’t.”
Everyone turned.
Riley had not known Carol was coming.
Jason looked guilty.
“I invited her.”
Carol entered.
Linda’s face darkened.
“Why?”
Carol removed her coat.
“Because somebody in this family needs a memory longer than six months.”
“Stay out of this.”
“No.”
Carol sat beside Riley.
Then looked directly at her sister.
“You’ve done this since they were children.”
Linda’s face went still.
“What are you talking about?”
“When Jason had baseball, the whole family rearranged weekends.”
“When Riley had debate tournaments, you complained about driving.”
“That is not true.”
“It is.”
“Jason’s activities were different.”
“How?”
“He was competitive.”
“So was Riley.”
Linda crossed her arms.
Carol continued.
“Jason got his first car because he needed it for college.”
“Riley took the bus because you said she lived close enough.”
“Jason moved home after dental school and paid no rent.”
“Riley moved home for four months after losing her first job and you charged her three hundred dollars because you said adults need responsibility.”