Didn't Need To Be Said

They split off from Jackson at the staircase. Kia hummed to herself as they walked. Wren was busy listening to Jackson’s slow steps walking away from him. Kia’s humming stopped and Wren glanced down at her. She had her head tilted slightly, then she sighed. “You won’t ask and Jackson won’t talk about it without prompting,” she said. “So, if you want, I’ll fill you in.”

“Talk about what?”

Kia’s smile was sad. “His mom.”

Oh. He hesitated. If it wasn’t something Jackson would talk about… “No. Jackson can talk about it with me when he wants to.” He tried to make his refusal gentle.

Kia looked surprised, then a warm smile lit up her face. “All right,” she agreed. “But I am going to tell you about his dad because the most he ever says is that his dad was different before his mom died.”

Wren paused. Kia was waiting for him t