“That’s going too far. You crossed a line,” Mom was shouting at Meredith.

Mom had never raised her voice before. What was going on? I was getting really sick of all the fighting.

“I crossed a line?” Meredith pointed to a camera sitting on the dining room table. I’d never seen it before. “After everything you’ve been through, this is the thing that offends you?”

“Yes.” Mom’s lips were set in a straight line. “You never asked my permission.”

“I wouldn’t have had to ask you for anything if you’d told the truth when I asked you, but we all know you weren’t telling the truth, were you?” Meredith stood unmoving next to the table, facing Mom head on. Dad looked back and forth between them, like he wasn’t quite sure what he was supposed to do or whose side he was supposed to take.

“What’s going on?” I demanded, interrupting them.

Everyone froze at the sight of me. Finally, Mom stepped back, and Meredith lowered her arm. Dad stayed rooted in his spot between them, his arms extended to hold them apart.

“Meredith has been recording us in the kitchen,” Mom said.

I balked. “You’ve been recording us? How?” Meredith was one of the least tech-savvy people I knew.

Dad spoke without turning around to look at me. “Abbi, honey, I know this must look really confusing, but I’m going to ask you to just go back upstairs and try to get some work done. We can talk about this later.”

I put my hands on my hips. “I’m not going anywhere. Not until I know what’s going on.”

Meredith took a step in my direction. “I think your dad is right. It’s probably best that you let us talk this one out alone.” She glanced in the direction of the stairs behind me. “Besides, if Shiloh wakes up, you can take care of her for your mom.”

I shook my head. There was no way I was leaving.

Mom spoke up. “I’m okay if she stays.”

Meredith whipped around to face her again. “You’re okay if she stays?” She couldn’t hide her annoyance.

“I don’t keep secrets from Abbi.” She gave me a tentative smile. I smiled back. I wanted our relationship to be built on the truth too. No lies.

“So two against two unless you’ve changed your mind, Dad?” I asked.

“Fine,” he said, but he didn’t look happy.

“What’s going on?” I asked, giving him all my attention and blocking out the others.

He refused to look at Meredith while he spoke. “You know the arguments that your mom and Meredith have been having over the phone calls, right?”

Was that what this was about? Why couldn’t Meredith just leave it alone? I nodded.

“Meredith decided that she would record your mom talking on the phone, and your mom just discovered the camera.”