“Whom.” Her feet were covered in nude-colored stockings—always stockings when it was cold, or slacks. This was a woman who thought a pair of ironed jeans was loungewear. She pointed her toes out in front of her; they were painted the usual pale pink. “A friend.”

“Do I know this friend?”

“I think not,” Cricket said, taking a slow sip.

“Is it a boy?” Wouldn’t that be fun? Cricket’s love life accelerates while mine reverses off a cliff. I’d been drinking too fast, and my wineglass was already half empty, which was a shame, as I really could’ve used more.

“Jesus, Daisy,” my mother said, swatting my leg. “Don’t joke.”

“I’m not joking. Why else would you be cagey about who you had lunch with?”

“Whom.”

“For God’s sake.”

“It’s for a job. Okay? Will that make you feel better? I saw my old friend, one of the few who still keeps in touch. She works at the Smithsonian, and gave me the name and email of the volunteer coordinator there.”

Cricket’s philanthropic inclinations were back, and the timing couldn’t be worse. “Just volunteering?” I asked, gifting myself another gulp. “You have a master’s degree.”

“I know.” She was curt. “We need money. I heard you the first one hundred times.”

I stared down into the remains of my wine. What leg did I have to stand on? None. Thanks to a series of unfortunate events, it had just been lopped off at the knee.

Now, it seemed, I’d arrived at the unavoidable. I’d have to share the events of the day. Because how long could I keep my job situation from her, from Wallis, even, when I lived beneath them? When the debt of one became a debt for all? Not a viable option. So, I went with the truth. “Today...well...” I started. “Miles told me to take time off. And since I used up all my PTO and vacation in January, I’ll be on unpaid leave for two weeks. And we just got a bill from the lawyer. And my rent is due.” I started strong, kept it together, kept steady. But my voice wobbled near the end, rising in pitch, unable to conceal my anxiety.

“Darling,” she said, calm, but not before I saw her widened eyes. She took my glass and placed it on the coffee table alongside hers, then wrapped her arm around my back. “You see so much that needs to be done in the world,” she said. “You see so much that needs to be done for this family. It’s a wonderful thing.” She looked at me like I was her baby, like she would gather me into her lap if she could. “I know that’s what drives you. But it is all right to rest, Daisy. It’s okay to take some time. You don’t have to do everything.”