Anyta
I attempted to smile. "No. Just tired."
Grandma Jo waited for a very long time, her sharp eyes seeing so much farther than I wanted she had seen. She didn't pressure it, though. She reached out and grabbed Teddy, who had just entered, waking up his sleepy eyes from his nap. She pulled him onto her lap and kissed his forehead.
"Then rest, child," she said softly. "Don't carry everything on your own. You've done enough."
I relaxed back, letting her words sink in, but the burden within me never went away.
The room was filled with the smell of stew, and Teddy's gentle humming pierced the silence. For a brief period, it seemed safe and normal.
And then the TV in the corner flickered to life. I hadn't even realized it had been turned on, quietly running in the background. A stark red
