“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.”

interjected, “Thank you for the offer, Mrs. Lane. We’ll go over to your

for the formalities. See you soon!” Grace chortled happily, elated that the younger girl had agreed to drop by for

put his phone away and gave Sonia a resigned look.

anyway. Now, we should probably go and pick out gifts

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

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

long before Charles and Sonia pulled up in front of the Lane

the house looked the same as it had before. As such, she did not feel out of place

the car pulling up. Her eyes lit up at the sight of Sonia, and she

Lane,” Sonia greeted with a

Charles stood by the side and drawled sarcastically, “Don’t mind me, Mom. I’m

Sonia

by the remark. “No, I haven’t,

Grace insisted. “Your face is all

lost all my baby fat, so now I appear a little more slender than usual,” Sonia placated. “Alright,

her by the hand and led her into

there was no one else at home but them, and she couldn’t help but ask, “Is

tell me how you’ve been for the past six years.” Ever since Grace watched the press conference, she had been wanting to know all that had happened to

began to detail the life she had had with the Fullers, though she kept it brief to save

knew those Fullers were rotten! You should have told us how badly they were treating you, Sonia.

into an

felt never went away. That being said, he was less angry with her than he was pitiful

felt warmth course through her. Tears pricked her eyes as she said, “I didn’t want to make you worry

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

to do with you?” Grace gently prodded

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

softened at this gesture and smoothed Sonia’s hair

air curiously. “Mom, what do

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

longer, she rushed toward the kitchen to salvage the chowder simmering in the pot, and thankfully, she made it in

glasses of juice over to Sonia and said, “Here you go, Sonia. Have some juice while you watch a bit of television; I’ll be in the kitchen whipping up a

Sonia nodded with a

Charles a look. “Come and help me out in the

blinked. He could hardly believe what he had just heard as he pointed at his nose. “Are you

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