« Wonderful! » my mother exclaimed, clapping her hands once.
« She’s also a single mom. Her son, Aaron, is seven. »
The pause was nearly invisible. She lifted her wine glass with perfect posture and took a small sip, as if recalibrating. Her voice, when it came, was polite and cool.
« That’s a lot of responsibility for someone your age. »
« I guess, but she’s incredible, » I said, maybe too quickly. « Anna is a wonderful mother. And Aaron… he’s a great kid. He told me I was his favorite grown-up last week. »