Gill chuckles from the table. Mara lets me off with an irritated look. She wants peace tonight.

I place the serving plate in the center of the table as they make small talk about how they’re doing today.

“Dinner smells … different than I expected,” Mom says from her seat next to mine. “Did you—”

I pull off the tinfoil. “That’s because it’s gonna be better than expected.” I grab a sandwich with a pair of tongs and carefully place it onto Mara’s plate.

Her brows come down. “Wow, this isn’t what we discussed, Siri. I thought—”

I serve a sandwich to George. “The idea came to me last night when I was trying to sleep, around three a.m., and hallucinating Jamie in the corner of the room. She said this recipe was her favorite and is one of your favorites too? So, I thought I would give it a go.”

I place a sandwich on Gill’s plate. Father and son look uncomfortable.

Mara’s face has gone gray. Yahtzee. I’ve hit a nerve. Speak, Mara. Acknowledge Jamie. Acknowledge me.

She sucks in a deep breath and lets it out slowly before opening her mouth. “Okay, I haven’t had this in a while … Looks great, honey.” She lifts the sandwich and takes a bite.

Something in me cracks as she brushes me off for what feels like the hundredth time. How much weird Jamie shit do I have to lay out for her to get what I’m putting down? For her to open up in the slightest? Does she really think she can just hide me from Siri forever?!

George is trying to catch Mara’s eye and make sure she’s okay. I serve myself and flop into the seat across from Gill.

The sandwich is actually pretty tasty. Who knew I could make a meal. After a few bites I raise my fingers and perform a little chef’s kiss. “Wow, I am good.”

Gill catches my eye. “You’re going to see that doctor again to help with the weird hallucinating thing happening, right?”

“Right.” I give him finger guns as I chew. “Tomorrow.”

Mara sucks a tooth before getting up. She pulls a bottle of red wine out of a cabinet and brings it to the table to uncork it. “So, how was everyone’s day?”

“I had a successful presentation at work.” George perks up.

“I got a very interesting email—” Mara says at the same time.

The wine bottle pops open as she beams at George. “That’s fantastic!” She hurries to the cabinet, grabs three glasses, and divides them up among herself, George, and Gill.

I tilt my head, eyeing her hard. “Excuse me,” I say politely. “I don’t get a glass and Gill does?”

“Gill’s in college, sweetheart…” Her voice trails off.

My eyebrows are practically floating over my head. The nerve of this woman. “He’s twenty, Mother.”