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With a sigh, she glanced with longing in the rearview h she had dropped Kaden off onlyhe were still with her

Pushing the thought aside, she got out of her car and made her way up the cobbled drive When she entered her house, the sound of arguing immediately assaulted her ears

She took a tentative step down the hallway, toward the kitchen, where the scent of to sto scent of her dinner, the sound of the quarrel increased

Creeping into the kitchen, she took in the sight of herat the s at each other like two angry wolves For aup to her room, not in the mood for whatever conflict the kitchen held but her empty belly won out She cleared her throat and waited

The moment they noticed her presence, they turned their attention to her, and the arguing ceased

“Hi, sweetheart Have a seat,” her mother said She smiled as she stood and headed to the stove where she started to esture didn’t reach her eyes

Her grandfather stared down at his food, his shoulders hunched Not until Abby took a seat in front of hilance up at her, and even then, his expression remained sober When her mother returned with her plate, Abby took a bite of pasta, trying to

distract herself fro in the air around them like a hot air balloon

She shifted in her seat, unco with thelass—say the wrong thing and a shard wound up in your heel Nevertheless, she sat straighter in her seat and opened her mouth in an effort to diffuse the discomfort at the table

“So, what did you do today, Grandpa?”

Her lanced up at her “The sauess that’s not okay”

“Norlasses the size of coke bottles and refuse to wear theh to drive,” her lass of ice water

Her grandfather’s jaorked as he chewed, eyeing her mother

Sensing a brewing storm, Abby focused on her plate She crahetti in her e to leap up froo to her room

She hated conflict, avoided it at all costs In the past, she would’ve left, no questions asked But today, her thoughts drifted to Kaden The way he faced Ca her head-on The way he just laid it all out there for her The way he faced his dad, knowing how he felt about his spending tie She wanted to be strong, too