“They started the original rat rumors, Lari,” Mom says, getting back on her feet with an impatient gesture. “It was them all along. And Dona Fernanda’s daughter doesn’t want any more stress. Even if her mother believes us, this is still her party. There’s nothing else I can say or do to convince them that our kitchen is safe. And I’m sick and tired of this. I’m so tired.”

I’m speechless. I shake my head, willing this moment to be a nightmare I’ll wake up from any minute now. Everything will be okay. Mom and Dona Eulalia had already put everything together so well. The freezer at Salt is filled with frozen salgados, ready to get baked and deep-fried for the party.

Mom pushes past me in a hurry, like she’s trying to escape all our bills. I follow her into the kitchen, where she pulls out all the trays filled with food she’d prepared and dumps them into a big trash bin.

“Mom, stop! Don’t do that! We may still be able to convince them!” I grab a tray from her, but Mom dodges me and throws more empadinhas in the trash. I watch helplessly. When there’s nothing else left in the freezer, she grabs a carton of eggs and gets ready to cook.

She cracks the eggs over a plate, catching the yolk between her fingers. She whisks the egg whites, her hands moving with quick, precise strokes. She’s done this so many times in her life, she doesn’t even need to look down at her work, and still the egg whites grow into a white cloud, never spilling, obedient like they recognize my mom’s hands.

The sound of the whisker hitting the bottom of the plate is almost hypnotic. And I know—this is how Mom copes. How she numbs the pain.

“We should apologize to the Molinas,” I say, my voice coming out like a croak.

The whisker hits the rim of the plate a bit more forcefully. When Mom looks at me, her eyes are so bright with anger, it scares me. “Why do I have to apologize?” she asks.

“We owe it to them. We accused them of starting the rat rumors,” I say.

Mom lets the whisker fall right on top of the cloud of egg whites. “I owe that family absolutely nothing!” She’s visibly trembling. “Sure, they aren’t to blame this time. But they are behind countless other rumors. Do you want me to pretend those didn’t happen? Where are my apologies for all the pain they’ve caused?” She looks down at the ruined egg whites, throwing her hands up. “Now look at this. I’ll have to start all over again!”

“Mom, I’m sorry—”

“Larissa, leave!”