The next morning sunlight poured through the windows, turning the kitchen into a bright, normal scene. Jake was flipping pancakes at the stove while Sarah sipped coffee and scrolled on her phone.
Ethan sat at the island, nursing a mug, eyes flicking toward the stairs every few minutes. Mia still hadn’t come down. The memory of her tears on the porch yesterday sat heavy in his chest like a stone he couldn’t swallow.
The doorbell rang. Ethan stood before anyone else could move. “I’ll get it.”
He opened the front door and found a guy standing there — nineteen at most, tall and lean with messy brown hair, wearing a simple t-shirt and jeans, holding a backpack. The kid looked friendly enough, but Ethan’s frown came instantly.
“Who are you looking for?”
The guy smiled easily. “Mia. She invi
