Everyone around the table was laughing. The sound filled the room. It made it difficult to breathe; David wheezed through his mouth, gritting his teeth like he'd just been punched.

"It's so nice to have the family together," his mother commented.

"Maybe if David cared more about us, and less about money, we'd be together more," Sarah added. Silence followed.

David narrowed his eyes and tore his bread into several large pieces. "I'm the reason why we're eating," he said softly, slowly. "I'm the reason why we're together right now."

"Don't," his mother pleaded, "please don't talk about this."