I backed away again, and my mother threw the gate open, taking several steps on the driveway, stepping on crushed gravel with bare feet.

I raised my hand, indicating for her to stop. She continued forward.

I threw my aura out, one push.

My mother stopped. Crystal stopped in her tracks, already at the fence. People rose from their seats.

“I thought you knew,” she said. “I very clearly said everyone. It was supposed to be a family reunion with everyone getting together again for the first time in… in a really long time.”

“You’re a lawyer,” I said. “You’re too clever with wording to be that fucking stupid.”

“Please,” she said, with a tone like she was the one who needed to exercise patience and restraint here. “Let’s keep things civil.”

I couldn’t even look at her. I trembled as my eyes dropped to the ground.

“I’ve made mistakes, as your sister has,” my mother said. “She’s been doing so well. I want to make up for past wrongs and be a mother to both of you, like I should have been from the beginning.”

I looked up, staring at her.

The lipstick, the composed outfit, the words, the everything about this all seemed so false now, so forced. I didn’t even recognize her.

“You’re kind of fucking it up,” I said, in the kind of whisper that was the only tone I could manage that wasn’t outright screaming at her. My hands were clenched at their sides.

“That’s not fair.”

“You’re kind of really fucking it up,” I said, in the same strangled whisper.

“Victoria—”

“You’re fucking it up, mother,” I said. “You’re fucking—you’re fucking—did dad play along with this?”

“I told him everyone was coming. You, your sister, Crystal, Uncle Mike. He was surprised, but… pleasantly surprised.”

Dad too, then. There was that heart-wrenched-out feeling again. I screwed my eyes shut, inadvertently squeezing out tears. I was aware her neighbors were seeing.

“Don’t—don’t get emotional, Victoria,” my mom said. “Please, I didn’t do this to hurt you. The furthest thing from it.”

“You fucked that up too,” I whispered.

“Stop saying that. Please,” my mother said. “It’s the age of second chances, she’s worked very hard to get to this point. I’ve talked to people who worked with her and she’s getting back into her routine in a good way. I want all of us to have a second shot at this, and do it right this time.”

I shook my head.

“Leaving things as unresolved as they are is doing more harm than good. To both you and to her.”

“So you thought you’d invite me to dinner and surprise me with her, and you thought there was nothing I could say or do because people are here?”