Chapter 38

sking up. “I just wanted to say hi.“

Aunt Linda,” Alex replied without looking up.

Nora’s chest tightened, but she said nothing. She didn’t stop him.

The car ride continued in silence, save for the fam tapping of Mex’s hugers on his phone,

Nora kept her eyes on the road, though her mind was elsewhere.

She told herself it didn’t matter, that Linda’s presence in Alex’s life didn’t diminish her role as his mother.

But the lingering ache told a different story.

The message from Linda arrived just as Alex was putting his books into his backpack

He glanced at his phone, his heart pounding in worry.

**Just a minor illness, AlexTM Linda’s text read. “No need to worry. Rest up, focus on school, and I’ll be fine.“”

Alex frowned, chewing his bottom lip.

He knew Linda hated being fussed over, but her vague assurances didn’t sit well with him.

His fingers flew over his phone screEIL

**Til come by right after school, Aunt Linda. Don’t try to talk me out of it.”

before she could

pocket, he recalled asking his mom, Nora,

made

I told her Id visit Linda, Alex murmured

mean she’s okay with

concerns momentarily appeased. Alex’s mood

tune, he hurried to school, his

window, watching Alex’s retreating figure with a small, distracted smile.

he turned the corner and disappeared, she let out a soft sigh and turned to the calendar hanging on the kitchen

was circled in red “Work Turnover Deadline.*

it,” she muttered to herself, her voice tinged with relief and apprehension “After today. I can finally focus entirely on my own

breath, Nora collected her things

at the office, the usual hum of activity buzzed around her, but

The as if

subdued, at id anticipation had

glanced at Megan, who sat at her deck with a pouty

Nora asked, setting

“I was really looking forward to seeing him today. You know, his presence just makes the day so

Chapter 38

urge to roll her

was well known, and while most of their colleagues humored her, Nora found it

sure he had a good reason, Nora said briskly, logging into her

she suspected why Arnold hadn’t shown up. “Linda must

the time the afternoon rolled around, Nora felt a dull ache building in her temples.

chair back and stretched before heading to the pantry

filled the air, soothing her

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