“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.”
you for the offer, Mrs. Lane.
See you soon!” Grace chortled happily, elated that
gave Sonia a resigned look. “Well, it looks
gifts
elegant cloak for Grace and a
than anything else. In particular, Grace had been best friends with Sonia’s mother. As
Sonia pulled up in front of
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
Grace practically ran out of the house to greet her guest when she heard the sound of the car pulling up. Her eyes lit up at the sight of Sonia, and she approached the latter
Lane,” Sonia greeted
and drawled sarcastically, “Don’t mind
is on Sonia now. Come here, Sonia, let me take
by the remark. “No, I
insisted. “Your face is
now I appear a little more slender than usual,” Sonia placated. “Alright, that’s enough fretting, Mrs. Lane. Shall we head
course. Come along, then.” Grace took her by the hand and
Sonia noted that there was no one else at home but them, and she couldn’t help but ask, “Is Mr. Lane not
been for the past six years.” Ever since Grace watched the press conference, she had been wanting to know all that
she had had with the Fullers,
Fullers were rotten! You should have told us how badly they were treating you, Sonia. If you had told us, then
an apple. “That’s what
wounded him, and the rage he felt never went away. That
Tears pricked her eyes as she said, “I didn’t want to make you
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 grow to become an unnecessary burden for them. She would rather give them a peace of mind than have them resent her in the long
to do with you?” Grace gently prodded the
she smiled good-naturedly as she wrapped the latter’s arm like an affectionate
this gesture and smoothed Sonia’s
sniffed the air curiously. “Mom, what
up with panic. She rose to her feet in a flurry and exclaimed, “Oh,
chowder simmering in the pot, and thankfully, she made
tall glasses of juice over to Sonia and said, “Here you go, Sonia. Have some juice while you watch a bit
nodded with a warm
shot Charles a look. “Come and help me out
could hardly believe what he had just heard as he pointed at his nose. “Are you serious, Mom?
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