“Thanks for taking the time out of your busy day to join me, Mother.” I pour my Special K and nab an apple from the fruit bowl.

Mara takes the box from me and pours her own bowl. “I’m sorry I wasn’t able to be here with you last night. You’re obviously angry with me.”

“What makes you say that?” I ask.

She holds my eyes like she’s trying to penetrate my soul. “Tell me more about your retreat. I’m here now.”

I chomp into my apple. “They had those Twilight books people love so much in this little wooden library cabin, so I finally read them, and honestly, way more enjoyable than Thrones.” I swipe at some juice dribbling down my face.

“Ugh.” Mara’s semi-open expression closes. She grabs a banana and puts it in a bag next to her chair. “You never made it past Clash of Kings. Finish the series and get back to me.”

“Mom, a girl didn’t make it past book two because a girl was exceedingly bored.”

Mara drops her spoon into her bowl. “A mom is not doing this with you. You’re looking for an argument and I’m not going to bite.” She pushes away from the table, picks up her bag, and heads toward the door.

“A mom!” I call out as she steps out into the garage.

She comes back in, one foot still holding the door open. “What?”

“Quick question before you head out to dance your troubles away: Does Dad give you money?”

She frowns. “Excuse me.”

“Like in a divorce,” I continue, “sometimes one of the parents gets alimony for the kid. Do you get that?”

She hesitates for a moment. “Why are you asking?”

I lift a shoulder. “You never talk about him. I don’t know anything about your relationship.”

She lets the door fall shut behind her with a light bang. “That’s because he abandoned us, Siri.”

“But does he pay it?”

“Yes, by law your father was required to send child support until you turned eighteen. You’re almost nineteen now, so it stopped coming about a year ago.”

“Do you know why he hasn’t reached out to me?”

Mara’s jaw tightens. “What’s bringing this on?”

I take another bite of my apple. “We did a lot of self-reflecting at that retreat.”

Mara shifts the bag onto her shoulder, her face scrunching. “I really can’t talk about this right now. I have to go. I have rehearsals all day. I’ll see you at nine.” She slings the door back open and romps out into the garage.

I glance down at my soggy cereal. I guess this was an official divorce between us all. There must have been lawyers and everything. I toss my cereal into the sink.