Silence stretched tight. Thomas stared at his hands. Lila opened her mouth, then closed it.
Max looked up at me, confused. “Are you mad, Grandma?”
I knelt beside him. “Not at you, sweetheart. Never at you.”
“Can we still use the walkie-talkies?”
I touched his cheek. “Every night. That’s our special thing.”
Thomas finally spoke. “Mom… please. We’re sorry. We’ll pay it back.”
“With what?” I asked softly. “With what money?”