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.”

hit send before

his pocket, he recalled asking his mom, Nora, to

made him

told her Id visit Linda, Alex

she’s okay

appeased. Alex’s mood

jaunty tune, he hurried to school,

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

out a soft sigh and turned to

Today was circled in red “Work Turnover

tinged with relief and apprehension “After today. I can finally focus entirely on my own

deep breath, Nora collected her things and headed out the

arrived at the office, the usual hum of

The as if

subdued, at id anticipation had

deck with a pouty expression, her clan resting in

Nora

sigh. “I was really looking forward to

Chapter 38

the urge to roll her

known, and while most of

Nora said

down, though, she suspected why Arnold hadn’t shown up. “Linda must have gotten

felt a dull ache

pushed her chair back and stretched before heading to the pantry for coffee.

of freshly brewed coffee filled the

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