“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.”
offer, Mrs. Lane. We’ll go over to your place in a
See you soon!” Grace chortled happily, elated that
resigned look. “Well, it looks like we’re going to have to give the seafood restaurant
fine; there’s always next time, anyway. Now, we should probably go and pick out gifts for your parents.”
made their rounds through the boutiques in the mall, they finally picked out an elegant cloak for Grace and a tasteful
Grace had been best friends with Sonia’s mother. As far as Sonia was concerned, Grace
Charles and Sonia pulled up in front of
six years, though she noted that the house looked the same as it had before. As such, she did
car pulling up. Her eyes lit up at the sight of Sonia, and she approached the latter with her arms spread wide
Lane,” Sonia greeted with a bright
side and drawled sarcastically, “Don’t mind me, Mom. I’m just your biological
I say I’m getting tired of it. My attention is on Sonia now. Come
the remark. “No, I haven’t,
Grace insisted. “Your face
I appear a little more slender than usual,” Sonia placated. “Alright, that’s
Grace took her by the hand and led
noted that there was no one else at home but
for the past six years.” Ever
she had
She slapped the edge of the coffee table in a physical show of frustration and snapped, “I knew those Fullers were rotten! You should have told
into an apple. “That’s what I told
fact that she had kept mum about her abusive marriage wounded him, and the rage he felt never went away. That being said, he was
felt warmth course through her. Tears pricked her eyes as she said, “I didn’t want to
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
gently prodded the younger girl’s forehead
good-naturedly as she wrapped the
this gesture and smoothed Sonia’s hair with
sniffed the air curiously. “Mom, what do you have on
hearing this, Grace snapped out of her thoughts, and her eyes lit up with panic.
simmering in the pot, and thankfully, she made it in time to keep the
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 couple
Mrs. Lane.” Sonia nodded with a
“Come and help
as he pointed at his nose. “Are you serious,
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