#Chapter 65: Catching Up

Elara The girls lingered by the kitchen doorway, nervously twisting their hands. An awkward silence fell over the room, and Ella and Zoe glanced up at me with uncertainty written across their faces. “Mommy, I thought we were having chicken cutlets…” That word—Mommy—seemed to shift something in Sarah. For the briefest moment, there was something in her gaze that was dark and cold. But she caught herself, seeming to force warmth into the curve of her lips as she stirred the pot. “Well, I’m making soup,” she said lightly. “Don’t you want to try it?” “That’s very nice of you, Sarah,” I said, hoping that my words would encourage the girls. I figured they were just being shy, that was all. “Go on, take a look at what Sarah made.” At my encouragement, the girls shuffled forward and peered cautiously into the pot. I followed, offering Sarah a warm and slightly apologetic smile as I passed, hoping to convey the words “They’re just kids,” into my gaze. B