A week had passed since Stella returned home with her son, Bryce. The weight of introducing Bryce to her father, a man she hadn't seen in years, pressed heavily on her chest. A knot of anxiety tightened in her stomach as she paced her bedroom, her reflection a blur in the mirror. "I'm scared!" she whispered, the words catching in her throat.

Flora turned from where she was meticulously applying lipstick. Her eyes, wide with concern, met Stella's. "Don't be! You didn't do anything wrong," she ...