Chapter 1I should be thinking about the grocery list, the dry cleaning, the parent-teacher conference next week, but instead, my gaze keeps drifting toward the backyard, where Adrian is sprawled on one of the lounge chairs, his long legs crossed at the ankles, a book resting open on his chest.He’s not the gangly teenager I remember from a few years ago. Time…or maybe just the last six months, has filled him out, sharpened his jawline, deepened his voice. I exhale through my nose, shifting my weight against the counter. The screen door creaks open, and my son, Jake, bounds inside, his sneakers scuffing against the hardwood. “Mom, can I grab a soda before we head out?”I nod, reaching for the fridge handle. “You’re not staying for dinner?”“Nah, Adrian’s got his car now. We’re hitting up that new burger place by the mall.” Jake grabs a can, pops the tab with a hiss. “You good with that, right?”“Of course.” I smile, but my throat tightens. Jake doesn’t notice. He never does. He’s sev
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