Sophia spoke without thinking. The second the words left her mouth, she knew she’d said the wrong thing.

Melissa smiled as she asked, “Will can’t sing with me?”

To the others, Eleanor and the group, it sounded playful, like harmless teasing. But Sophia could hear the chill buried beneath the words.

“Ms. Thompson, you’re mistaken,” she said, brushing a hand over her face. “I drank too much.”

Then she shifted away from ...