Ella’s fingers curled tightly into her palms as a sharp ache gripped her chest. Every word he said made her feel she was so foolish.
In the evening, she picked John as usual. Remembering how she had been too careless by putting so much sugar in his milk, she wanted to compensate him.
"John, do you have any questions about today's topic? I can help you."
But John simply waved his hand impatiently. "No need. Just do your chores. Aunt Sarah said she would tutor me. She is a postdoc, so she is way smarter than you."
Ella clenched her fists and sat stiffly back on the dinner table.
Her plate held the spaghetti she had just reheated. She had not even had time to eat in order to pick John up.
But today, somehow, tears fell down onto the food she ate.
When she stuffed the spaghetti into her mouth, she could feel the saltiness of her tears mixed in it.
Across the wall, John and Sarah's chatting and laughing drifted through the half-open door. The sound was like a blade that pierced her heart.
Halfway through the meal, she heard the sound of a door being unlocked. Ella hastily grabbed a tissue to wipe her face dry.