Chapter 78

I wasn't sure what I was expecting as I pulled up to my parents' house a week later, but it wasn't for it to look exactly as it had seven days ago. I mean, realistically, what would have changed in such a short period of time? When I thought about it logically, the answer was nothing, but that didn't mean the place hadn't altered in my eyes. Despite the outward appearance, the place still felt different to me. It just looked dark and dreary while making me feel cold all over. "Mom?" I hollered while shutting the front door behind me. I knew she had to be here somewhere because I made sure to text and ask if she was home before heading out. If there was one thing I've learned, it was that showing up unannounced wasn't always the best idea... "In the kitchen, PP!" she called back. I meandered in, expecting to see her making lunch while dancing around, but instead, she was at the table hunched over a pile of papers with a distraught look on her face.