"No, no, Harrison, please don't fight with Sis over this. It's Baby's fault, Baby said the wrong thing, it's not true, none of what Baby said is true."
It sounded like she was defending me. In reality, every word dug the hole deeper.
Crack!
Greta shot to her feet in a fury and slapped me across the face.
"Everyone knows how you Cobb sisters are. The older one plays every angle, and the younger one's an innocent little thing."
"Sandra Cobb, you've humiliated the Weiss family in front of everyone today. If you don't give my son an explanation, I will go to the police and report you for marriage fraud!"
I held my left cheek, the skin still numb and stinging, and looked toward Harrison. My gaze was flat, empty.
"You believe her too?"
Harrison froze. His lips trembled, and it took him a long time to force the words through his teeth.
"Marilyn is pure-hearted. She wouldn't lie."
Off to the side, Marilyn heard that and burrowed her face even deeper into my mother's arms.
Everyone else thought she was scared. Only I knew she was hiding a smile.
Go ahead and smile. You won't be smiling for long.
I strode to my mother and yanked Marilyn out of her arms, dragging her into the open.