Chapter 23 - THE VIRELLI FAMILY LEARNS CLASS
My older relatives had laughed at Camilla’s “servant’s child” phrase privately before they understood what happened.
Not because they approved the abuse.
Because class jokes still lived comfortably inside the Family.
I stopped tolerating them.
Not through decree.
Through embarrassment.
One uncle called a driver “the help” at dinner.
I asked:
“What’s his name?”
He knew.
“Then use it.”
Another relative told Lila Eleanor had “married up.”
Lila answered before I could.
“Dad married smart.”
I nearly applauded.
Our family history had contained servants, dockworkers, cooks, criminals, business owners, teachers, drivers, accountants, and men who later rewrote all of them as founders.
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Pretending class purity had always been ridiculous.
Camilla merely said the prejudice out loud.
