“Okay,” Violet said. “I want bacon with cheese again. Can we have that?”
“Carbonara. I have pancetta. It’s ham-like bacon. We’ll chop it thin, adding crème and eggs at the end. Oh, please get out the frozen peas.”
“Not with peas,” Violet said. “We didn’t have it with peas before.”
“Peas are delicious.”
“And they’re so pretty, Violet,” Red added. “You’ll impress your friends.”
The girl shook her head. “I don’t have any friends.”
“Yet,” Dani said. “You don’t have any new friends, yet.”
“Can I go read?” Violet’s cheeks suddenly looked hot red and her eyes watery. “It’s for class.” She left the kitchen without an answer and Dani turned to Red.
“Oh, God, I’m failing. I know. I fail every day. It’s not like she came with a guidebook,” Dani said.
“How old is she? Thirteen?”
Dani nodded.
