LYN'

th scrambled eggs filled the room as I sat

lso helped because I'd gone to bed without dinner. As I pulled out my phone fro

liar footsteps down the hallway. She was cal

dining room and abruptly, her sho

Mum," I said wi

r said as she took a seat beside my fath

erve to tell you why I was crying," I r

at coffee you brewed," she

side of the table. She held m

hat," my mother said curiously,

who to turn to," I said with a faint

h her hands wide open, "you kno

d to my seat. I was trying very

t night," my mother said, "something dra

ror in her voice. I wasn't in the mood for her usua

nk I need time to process what happened yest

work this early?" my mother said as she looked at the clock

to make an assessment," I said as I took wha

nishment, "your staff are becoming l

bag and headed for the exit. No one was going

r walked into the room w

her done this time

I said. He planted

ife too?" My mother said

ather moved and kissed

er said, "there is something critic

I have an early morning assessme

ed his approval for me to leave. As I t

to face them, "Did you guys have any

my mother said, "I left the house as soon as the rain fell

d at my

ade," my father replied, "that's part of what I

k, darling?" m

ged, "I was just curiou

l of freshly cut grass. It did nothing to ameliorate the anxiety I felt. Thankful

door? And why was I feel

t mode. I took out my phone and did that. It buzzed so hard with voicemails

Maybe today wasn't going t

****

NOWN

rough the gates and onto the adjoining street. I counte

so she wouldn't perceive that someone was following her. That

ety, all I knew was that I needed to make

so hard that I couldn't keep up. By the time I got to the in

self. I shouldn't do anything to draw the attention of

nd toward the direction she took hoping to

here to find her in the evening. But by all