Excerpt from The Confusion of Languages by Siobhan Fallon, plus links to reviews, author biography & more

"It'll be OK," I repeat. "Call me if you have any trouble."

She nods, tucks her keys carefully into the canvas purse she uses as a wallet. She looks odd without the baby in one arm and her overflowing diaper bag in the other, like she has been stripped of half herself. I can see flecks of salt dried into her lashes.

"Margaret?"

Her head snaps up and her eyes widen at my voice. "Cass, if Crick calls, don't tell him about the accident, OK?"

I feel myself blush. So we might be reconciled, but she still doesn't entirely trust me. "All right."

"And if Saleh knocks, don't let him in."

"What are you talking about? Why would he even come to your door?"

She pulls her hair behind her ears and glances up at the mural on her living room ceiling. When she speaks, I'm not sure if she is talking to me or to the angels painted there. "Please tell Mather I'll be home soon."

"You know what, let's do this tomorrow—" I say, moving ­toward her, but she turns and walks out the door without another word.

It's only after I've heard the elevator ding shut in the hallway that I realize I forgot to ask if she printed directions.

Excerpted from The Confusion of Languages by Siobhan Fallon. Copyright © 2017 by Siobhan Fallon. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.