Love Burned, She Rose Unscathed

"Where are you? Why haven't you been answering my calls for days?! Have you decided to ditch your own mother now?"

Three questions shot out, each one more intense than the one before.

Murray replied with a nonchalance that belied the weight of her words, "I'm on a business trip and super busy. No time to pick you up."

"You get yourself back here! Right now! If you don't, don't bother calling me mom anymore!"

Sensing the urgency in her tone, Murray didn't ask further. He ended the call and made a beeline for the family home.

As he reached the door, a vase shattered on the ground.

Murray paused, then entered, "Mom, I'm back."

Beverley burst out at the sound, unleashing a torrent of words at him, "Who are these people you're mingling with?! Millie's nothing but trouble, and her family? They're like the mob, especially her mother - a complete nightmare. Vulgar, despicable, disgusting!" "I knew Millie was bad news from the start. You insisted on her, even got her pregnant! And now, after the miscarriage, they're pinning everything on us..."

"Wait," Murray cut in, "Millie... miscarried?"

"Yeah, didn't you know?!"

Even Beverley, who had her fair share of grievances with her son, was taken aback by his ignorance.

Murray froze for a moment. But soon, a cold smirk appeared on his face. "That child was never meant to be. Better off gone," he thought.

breath, "Today, her mother showed up at my book club, making a scene. It's probably all over town by now. If

of Naylor's expressionless face sent shivers

more than thirty years of marriage, fear overshadowed love when it came to

clean up the mess you've made. I'm done

disgust lingered even after three showers.

...

in turmoil, Roseanne's life was

her time was spent in the lab,

in

and research. She

fulfilled.

cook up a

grab some craft beer,

scroll through their phones in bed

Leda said mysteriously, "I

behind her, finding a

"A partner."

for Roseanne to catch

eyes widened, "You mean-a boyfriend?"

is it? Do I know