“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

no need for the formalities. See you soon!” Grace chortled happily, elated that the younger girl had

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

should probably go and pick out gifts for

out an elegant cloak for Grace and a tasteful necktie for Curtis.

particular, Grace had been best friends with Sonia’s mother. As far as Sonia was concerned, Grace was like a second mother to her, having

and Sonia pulled up in front of the Lane

house looked the same as

of the house to greet her guest when she heard the sound of the car pulling up. Her eyes lit up at

Lane,” Sonia greeted with

sarcastically, “Don’t mind me, Mom. I’m just your biological son,

rolled her eyes as she said pointedly, “I see you every day, and believe me when I say I’m getting tired of it. My attention is on Sonia now. Come here, Sonia, let me

amused by the remark.

have,” Grace insisted. “Your face is

appear a little more slender than usual,” Sonia placated. “Alright, that’s enough fretting, Mrs. Lane. Shall we head into the

of course. Come along, then.” Grace took her by the hand and led her into the

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

don’t you 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

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

story. 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 us how badly they were treating you, Sonia. If you had told us, then we would have stood

bit into an

him, and the rage he felt never

Sonia felt warmth course through her. Tears pricked her eyes as she said, “I

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

am I going to do with you?” Grace gently prodded the younger girl’s

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

gesture and smoothed Sonia’s hair with motherly

sniffed the air curiously. “Mom, what do you have on the stove? I think it’s

snapped out of her thoughts, and her eyes lit up with panic. She rose to her feet in a

longer, she rushed toward the kitchen to salvage the chowder simmering in

“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

a look. “Come and help

as he pointed at his nose. “Are you serious, Mom? What

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