“It’s not you I’m looking for; I want to speak to Sonia. Is she there with you?” Grace asked on the other line, prompting Charles to glance over at Sonia.

“She’s here,” he answered.

“Pass the phone to her.”

Having made a noise of agreement, Charles handed Sonia his phone while saying, “Here, it’s my mom.”

Sonia took the phone over and greeted pleasantly, “Mrs. Lane.”

“Sonia! I’ve missed you so much.” Grace beamed as soon as she heard Sonia’s voice on the other end of the call.

Sonia, on the other hand, smiled as well. “I’ve missed you, too, Mrs. Lane.”

“You could always drop by to see me, you know,” Grace pointed out, feigning dejection.

“Sorry, Mrs. Lane. I’ve been tied up with tons of stuff recently. I barely have time to breathe,” Sonia winced and said apologetically.

“Well, you could come over for a meal right now if you have the time. I’ll bust out a few of my best recipes for you,” Grace cajoled kindly.

Sonia was just about to say something when Charles—who had been eavesdropping—spoke up instead. “Mom, I’m bringing my darling for seafood.”

Grace, however, was insistent as she countered, “You know how restaurants never run a quality check on their seafood supplies, and it’s not as if they could do better than me when it comes to cooking.”

Sonia interjected, “Thank you for the offer, Mrs. Lane. We’ll go over to your place in a bit!”

“Oh, please, no need for the formalities. See you soon!” Grace chortled happily, elated that the younger girl had agreed to drop by for a meal.

When the call ended, Charles put his phone away and gave Sonia a resigned look. “Well, it looks like we’re going to have to give the seafood restaurant a miss.”

“It’s fine; there’s always next time, anyway. Now, we should probably go and pick out gifts for your parents.” With that, she linked arms with him and led him toward the car.

After they made their rounds through the boutiques in the mall, they finally picked out an elegant cloak for Grace and a tasteful necktie for Curtis. Then, they made their way to the Lane Residence.

ties with the Reeds, and their relationship was more family than anything else. In particular, Grace had been best friends with Sonia’s

before Charles and Sonia pulled up in front

she noted that the house looked the same as it had before. As such, she did not feel out of place at all and rather felt a warm sense

when she heard the sound of the car pulling up. Her eyes

Sonia greeted with a

women embraced, Charles stood by the side and drawled sarcastically, “Don’t mind

My attention is on Sonia now. Come here, Sonia, let me take a good look at you!” She clasped

the remark. “No, I haven’t, Mrs.

“Your face

fat, so now I appear a little more slender than usual,” Sonia placated. “Alright, that’s enough fretting, Mrs. Lane.

her by the hand and led her

the villa, Sonia noted that there was no one else at home but them,

with his buddies. No matter. Sonia, why don’t you tell me how you’ve been for the past six years.”

detail the life she had had

the coffee table in a physical show of frustration and snapped, “I knew those Fullers were rotten! You should have told us how badly they were

into an apple. “That’s what I

she had kept mum about her abusive marriage wounded him, and the rage he felt never went away. That being

of Charles and Grace’s outward concern, Sonia felt warmth course through her. Tears

and the rest of the Lanes. She might have been able to get them to stand up for her throughout her marriage to Toby, but they couldn’t come to her defense all the time. Besides, they weren’t actually related to her, which meant her troubles would only grow to become an unnecessary burden for them. She would rather give

you?” Grace gently prodded the younger girl’s forehead and

frustrated, but she smiled good-naturedly as she wrapped the latter’s arm like an affectionate

gesture and smoothed Sonia’s hair with motherly

frowned as he sniffed the air curiously. “Mom, what do you have on the stove? I

and her eyes lit up with panic. She rose to her feet in a flurry and exclaimed,

toward the kitchen to salvage the chowder simmering in the pot, and thankfully, she made it in time to keep the chowder

some juice while you watch a bit of television; I’ll be in the kitchen whipping up a couple more dishes, and we can

nodded with a

a look. “Come and

He could hardly believe what he had just heard as he

coming or not?” Grace’s face was

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