A Child of Another Story
From the corner, Yoel chimed in with a snarky edge, "Seriously, Erick's way too formal. I've been part of the Jones family since I was a kid, never cared for all that pomp and circumstance."
The rest of the family nodded and murmured their agreement.
"Absolutely, Yoel's the sweetest and most respectful kid, practically one of our own!" they said.
Sheila sat proudly next to Yoel, piling his plate with food. "Dig in, less chit-chat. Here's your favorite meatloaf."
Yoel gave her cheek a playful squeeze. "You know me best, my ride-or-die."
Their cozy little scene was like a punch to my gut.