“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

chortled happily, elated that the younger girl

call ended, Charles put his phone away and gave Sonia a resigned look. “Well, it looks like we’re going to have to give the seafood restaurant a

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

through the boutiques in the mall, they finally picked out an elegant cloak for Grace and a tasteful necktie for

family than anything else. In particular, Grace had been best friends with Sonia’s mother. As far as Sonia was concerned, Grace was like a second

Charles and Sonia pulled up in

was the first time Sonia had dropped by in six years, though she noted that the house looked the same as it had before. As such, she did not feel out of place at all and rather felt a warm sense of

car pulling up. Her eyes lit up

Lane,” Sonia greeted

stood by the side and drawled sarcastically, “Don’t mind me,

believe me when I say I’m getting tired of it. My attention is on Sonia now. Come here, Sonia, let me take a good look at you!” She clasped Sonia’s hands in

by the remark. “No, I haven’t,

“Your face is all cheekbones

lost all my baby fat, so now I appear a little more slender than usual,”

along, then.” Grace took her by

noted that there was no one else at home but them, and

his buddies. No matter. Sonia, why don’t you tell me how you’ve been for the past six years.” Ever since Grace watched the press

she had had with the Fullers, though she

frustration and snapped, “I knew those Fullers were rotten! You should have told us how badly they were treating you, Sonia. If

bit into an apple. “That’s what I told

he felt never went away. That being said, he was less angry

Grace’s outward concern, Sonia felt warmth course through her. Tears pricked her eyes as she said, “I didn’t want to make

her parents, and the closest thing she had to a family was Grace and the rest of the Lanes. She might have been able to get them to stand up for her throughout her marriage to 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

Grace gently prodded

that Grace was frustrated, but she smiled good-naturedly as she

softened at this gesture and smoothed

sniffed the air curiously. “Mom,

with panic. She

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

Sonia. Have some juice while you watch a bit of television; I’ll be in the kitchen whipping up a couple more dishes, and

Lane.” Sonia nodded

look. “Come and

just heard as he pointed at his

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