I was so startled to see her I forgot everything, including the dream, my fog dissipating, and the sudden surge of happy feeling maybe this meant the end to our conflict. I stuttered to a halt, one hand reaching out toward her, but she returned her attention to Mom with a slightly guilty expression, quashing the hopes I had this was anything but business.

And I was right. Alicia's hands wrung in front of her, her anxiety high but having nothing to do with coming here to ...