Sarah arrived first.
College had sharpened her in ways I couldn’t fully explain. She hugged me tighter, longer, like she understood things now that she hadn’t at fourteen.
Behind her stood the friend.
Tall. Too thin in that quiet way you don’t notice at first glance. Backpack slung over one shoulder like it carried everything he owned.
“Mom, this is Eli.”
He nodded. “Thank you for letting me come.”
Polite.
Careful.
Familiar.
I smiled. “Of course. Go put your things down. Dinner’s in an hour.”
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