By the time Simone leaves, the lunch crowd is gone and we’re just about to close up for the day. I watch as Mom walks Sam to the door. She throws her head back and laughs at something he says.
“Mom,” I call to her, and when she looks up with a scowl on her face, I realize I sounded harsher than I’d intended to. Sam glances my way and waves, says something to Mom, then leaves.
“That was very rude, Freedom. I raised you better than that,” Mom says when she comes to stand next to me at the counter.
I push through the swinging doors and she follows me into the kitchen.
“Why haven’t you put your ring back on?”
“What?” she asks, spinning to face me even as her right hand floats up to her ring finger.
I point to her hand. “Your wedding ring. You took it off on Monday.”
“I take it off whene
