Maya

 "Hi, I'm Stella," one of the girls introduced herself to me, a warm smile gracing her face. "It's been quite a while since we've had a new member. Welcome to the family!” She enveloped me in a tight hug, and for a moment, I hesitated. I hadn't been hugged by anyone without ulterior motives since my father's death, and the sensation felt foreign, yet oddly comforting. 

Reflecting on it, it seemed almost laughable that I had expected genuine affection from my own mother. ...