“Because he’s leaving his marriage with most of his assets,” said her mother. “Archie, please turn that down, I’m trying to talk to Victoria.”

The background noise of the television lowered as her mother returned her attention to the conversation. “I think she only gets a onetime settlement and that’s all.”

“That’s not making him sound great,” Victoria said.

“Well it makes him sound rich,” Katherine said. “And I don’t know how that isn’t great. You’ll find out for yourself at the retirement gala.”

Victoria’s spirits sank to her queasy stomach. She had forgotten all about Uncle Jeffrey’s retirement ceremony. As she quickly checked her desk calendar, she thought of excuses to get out of attending. She was meeting John? No, that’s not an excuse, Mom is going to ask for details. “Ooh, that’s this Friday, isn’t it? I think I’m going to be busy, ma’am.”

“Busy with what?”

“Uh, there’s a team-building exercise for my department,” she lied. While the English Department functioned under Kenneth Williams’s rule, there was no such thing as a team, but her mother didn’t know that.

“Team-building?” Katherine scoffed. “You’ve been teaching there for four years. I’d say you’re already a team player. You’re coming to the ceremony, little lady.”

“But I didn’t get an embossed invitation,” she snapped in irritation. Her mother’s problem with boundaries was driving her nuts. “How will I possibly get past security?”

“Don’t sass me, Victoria,” her mother said. Victoria could hear her mother pull away from the phone to shout: “Archie, come tell your hardheaded daughter about what it means to be reliable.”

There was a pause in the conversation where her parents could be heard arguing with one another. “Katherine, will you leave the girl alone?”

“She gave her word and now she’s going to embarrass me in front of our guests.”

“They’re Jeffrey’s guests.”

“I’m throwing the celebration!”

“Good god, just give it here.”

She waited for the transfer of the phone to hear her father sigh loudly. “What’s going on, Vicki.”

“Mom’s not respecting my boundaries,” she said in a whiny voice. She knew she sounded like a child tattling to her father.

“Did you promise to attend this event?” Archie asked patiently.

Yes, but that was before I started sleeping with John. “Yes, sir.”

“And what do we say about starting the mission?”

Victoria massaged the bridge of her nose. “We finish the mission.”

“Now if you gave your word, you need to go ahead and stick to it, don’t you think?”

“But—”

“Help me out, honey,” her father said in soothing tones. “Your mother had her heart set on you being here.”

“Can you tell her I’m really busy?” Victoria tried. “Just tell her I’ll get the next one?”