Alice’s POV
I was eating when my phone rang. It was Mum.
“Hello, Mum,” I said, answering with a spoon halfway to my mouth.
“Hello, dear. How are you?”
“I’m fine,” I replied, stuffing the cereal into my mouth as I spoke.
“I spoke to Brian yesterday. He said he hasn’t heard from you. You two are supposed to be close. Alice… are you planning to go to the exhibition alone?”
I blinked, already annoyed.
“No, Mum. I’m going with you, remember?”
A short silence. Then—
“Oh, s**t. About that…” Her voice dipped. “I know it’s tomorrow, but I kind of forgot. I already told my sister I’d be flying to Africa to see the kids. You know how little they are… I can’t keep them waiting. They’d be standing there all excited with those tiny hands—”
I rolled my eyes and let out a long, quiet sigh. “Yeah
