CARL

And there it went, all the meanness I'd planned dissolved into shock as I stared down at Linda's mother who, in return, stared blankly at me.

"What?"

"You heard right." Her arms went around her chest, folded. "Because of several arguments, I almost lost our child, Carl. That's not something that'll be easily forgotten. My mother is here to take care of me, in the meantime."

"And she can't do that in her own house?" I quizzed, immediately biting my tongue before the next question could ...