81

KATYA

I know I’m screwed before I even check the caller ID.

But when I do, I take a deep breath, let the self-pity simmer, and force my voice into something that sounds like warmth. “Yes? Katya speaking.”

“Of course it’s you. Whose number did I dial, if not yours?” My mother’s voice slices through the line, sharp and annoying all at once. I tilt my head back, staring at the ceiling of my home offi