Two days pass.
And nothing changes.
The boys remain distant, their eyes dull and their words clipped. They only speak when spoken to. They only interact with her at meal times, and even then, they keep their answers short.
Rose is torn.
She clings to Maya whenever she can, seeking comfort, but she also keeps looking at her brothers—unsure whether to follow their lead or stay by her mother’s side.
Maya tries.
She really tries.
She sits with them at breakfast and attempts to engage them in conversation.
Nothing.
She invites them to play, to read, to go outside.
Nothing.
She even bakes their favorite cookies—warm, gooey chocolate chip, the ones they always fight over.
They eat them in silence.
No smiles. No laughter.
No, ‘Mama, can I have more?’
Maya b
