When Leah got home, she carried herself with a kind of strength that wasn’t really there. She walked through the door with her chin up, forcing a smile that fooled no one. Jenah and Maya were both surprised to see her earlier than expected, but before they could ask, Leah had already gone straight to her room, claiming she was exhausted.
Dinner came and went quietly. Leah barely touched her food, and even Maya ever the chatterbox didn’t have the heart to disturb her. The air felt heavy, thick with questions no one dared to ask.
But Jenah couldn’t take it any longer. When Leah finally stepped out of her room, her eyes red but dry, Jenah walked up to her and placed a gentle hand on her shoulder.
“Leah,” she said softly, “why are you back? What happened?”
Leah’s lips parted, but for a mom
