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KODI BALL WAS EXHAUSTED... The weight of the events hung heavily on her shoulders as she trudged up the steps to into house.
All she wanted was to crawl into bed and forget the world for a little while. But fate, it seemed, had other plans for her. As she approached the front door, the sound of laughter and music drifted out into the night. Peeking through the window, she saw her uncle Kev and Veronica, his girlfriend, dancing and laughing like teenagers. Despite herself, Kodi couldn't help but smile at the sight. They deserved this moment of happiness, she thought.
Deciding to let them enjoy their time alone, Kodi silently made her way up the stairs to her room.... But just as she was about to close the door behind her, she heard a snippet of conversation drifting up from the living room below...
"I think we should hold it off," her uncle Kev was saying.
Veronica's voice, slightly more serious, replied, "You have to tell her, Kev. The longer you wait, the harder it will be for her to forgive you."
Tell her what? Kodi's curiosity was piqued.
She couldn't resist eavesdropping a little longer. "Kodi would hate me," Kev's voice was filled with fear.
"She'll hate you even more if you don't tell her the truth," Veronica's words were firm.
Kodi's heart raced as she stood in the living room, her eyes darting between her uncle Kev and her aunt Veronica. Who had heard her footsteps, their silence was deafening, and the guilt and apprehension written on their faces only fueled Kodi's determination to uncover the truth they were hiding from her.
Taking a deep breath to steady her nerves, Kodi squared her shoulders and spoke, her voice quivering slightly. "Tell me what?" she demanded, her eyes locking onto Kev's.
Kev shifted uncomfortably in his seat, his gaze flickering to Veronica before returning to Kodi. "You've been crying," he said, a feeble attempt to divert the conversation.
But Kodi was not so easily sidetracked. "Don't change the subject.. Tell me the truth, Uncle Kev," she insisted, her tone firm.
Kev sighed, running a hand through his hair in agitation. He struggled to find the right words, unsure of how to reveal the secret that had been kept from Kodi for so long. "I don't know if I can," he finally admitted, his voice barely above a whisper.
Kodi's brows furrowed in confusion. "Why not? What could be so terrible that you can't tell me?" she pressed, her eyes searching his face for answers.
Veronica, sensing the weight of the moment, decided to speak up. "Kodi, it's not that simple," she interjected, her voice gentle but filled with a hint of sadness.
Kodi turned to her aunt, her expression pleading. "Please, just tell me. I can handle it," she insisted, her resolve unwavering.
Kev's hesitated, his eyes brimming with unshed tears. "It's not about whether you can handle it, Kodi. It's about the impact it will have on you," he explained, his voice breaking slightly. Kodi felt fear grip her heart at her aunt's words. What could be so earth-shattering that they were hesitant to share it with her? She took a step forward, her hands clenched at her sides. "What aren't you telling me" Kodi yelled her voice filled with raw emotion.
