FAYE
When my mother saw me standing at the doorway, she froze. For a second, she didn’t move or speak...just stared like she wasn’t sure if she was seeing right. Then her eyes softened, and I saw that tiny twitch in her lips before she finally breathed my name.
“Faye?”
I smiled faintly, feeling my throat tighten. “Hi, Mom.”
The moment I stepped forward, she met me halfway, pulling me into a hug so tight I could barely breathe. I sank into it anyway, burying my face against her shoulder. Her familiar scent—her warmth—everything about her felt like home. For a moment, all the things I’d been holding in just melted away.
“I missed you so much, Mom,” I murmured.
She held me a little longer, her hand running over my hair like she was trying to make sure I was really there. “I missed you t
