𝐏𝐈𝐂𝐓𝐔𝐑𝐄 𝐏𝐄𝐑𝐅𝐄𝐂𝐓 │ 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐧

𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐄𝐓𝐄𝐄𝐍

BREAKFAST AT THE EMERSON RESIDENCE was tense, the kind of silence that wasn't peaceful but heavy with unspoken words. The usual hum of morning chatter was replaced by the scraping of forks against plates and the occasional clink of a coffee cup.

Emberly sat next to Everly, both girls focused on their food as if it could shield them from the awkwardness. Their mother, Jessica, glanced at them every so often, her expression tight with frustration and concern. Across the table, Mark sipped his coffee, his gaze flickering between the girls and Jessica. He knew the daughters had learned the truth, but he had decided to stay out of it. This was between the mother and her girls, and he wasn't about to insert himself unless absolutely necessary.

Jessica finally broke the silence, her voice calm but with a faint edge of determination. "How's school going?"

Emberly glanced up briefly, meeting her mother's eyes before dropping her gaze back to her plate. She didn't respond, chewing slowly as if she hadn't heard the question. The silence stretched, and Jessica sighed softly, her shoulders slumping just a bit.

Why does she even bother? Emberly thought. She knows we're upset, and she still acts like everything's fine. The stubbornness wasn't just a trait Emberly and Evelyn shared with both their father and mother—it was practically their family legacy.

Mark set down his coffee cup and cleared his throat, trying to lighten the mood. "Since your mom doesn't have to work today, and neither do I, I thought we could do a family night. Board games, movies, maybe order some pizza?"

Emberly didn't even look up. "No thanks," she said flatly. "The championship game is tonight. I told Spencer I'd be there."

"I'm going out with some friends, so I'll be out as well." Evelyn spoke, standing up ffrom the table tossing her empty yogurt cup in the trash and heading upstairs. 

She stood abruptly, picking up her plate and walking over to the trash can. She scraped the leftover food into the bin, the sound cutting through the silence like a knife, then carried her plate to the sink.

Jessica straightened in her seat, her voice firm but calm. "Emberly, we're still your family. You can't just avoid us forever."

Emberly turned, clutching the edge of the sink. Her mother's words stung more than she wanted to admit. "I have a pep rally to get to," she said, her tone clipped. She grabbed her bag and car keys from the counter, not bothering to meet anyone's gaze.

"Emberly," Jessica called after her, her voice sharper now, though it didn't quite reach anger. "We're going to talk about this eventually. You guys don't get to walk out every time things get hard."

Emberly froze for a fraction of a second at the door, her mother's words pressing against the wall she'd built inside. But she shook her head and opened the door without looking back. "Not now, Mom. I've got to go."

As the door shut behind her, the tension she left behind lingered in the kitchen. Jessica sighed again, her firm resolve cracking just slightly. "They're angry," she said quietly, glancing at Mark. "I just... I don't know how to fix this."

Mark leaned back in his chair, watching the door Emberly had walked out of. "Give them time," he said. "They'll come around. They're just like you—stubborn as hell, but they'll figure it out."

Jessica let out a dry laugh, shaking her head. "That's what I'm afraid of."

Outside, Emberly climbed into her car, gripping the steering wheel tightly before starting the engine. Her mother's words played on a loop in her mind, and she hated how they made her chest tighten. She wasn't ready to forgive or forget—not yet. For now, focusing on the game, Spencer, and anything but home felt like the only thing she could do to stay sane.