She lingered by the door, glancing back. Dan nodded. “Come back anytime, hon.”
Her cheeks turned pink. “Okay. If it’s not too much trouble.”
“Never,” Dan said. “We always have room at our table.”
As soon as the door closed, my voice sharpened. “Sam, you can’t just bring people home. We’re barely getting by.”
Sam didn’t move. “She didn’t eat all day, Mom. How could I ignore that?”
I stared at her. “That doesn’t—”
“She almost fainted, Mom!” Sam shot back. “Her dad’s working nonstop. Their power got shut off last week. We’re not rich, but we can afford to eat.”
Dan placed a hand on Sam’s shoulder. “Are you serious, Sammie?”
She nodded. “It’s bad, Dad. Today she passed out in gym. The teachers told her to eat better, but she only eats lunch—and not even every day.”
My anger faded. I sat down at the table, the room tilting slightly. “I… I was worried about stretching dinner. And she’s just trying to make it through the day… I’m sorry, Sam. I shouldn’t have yelled.”
Sam met my eyes, stubborn but soft. “I told her to come back tomorrow.”
