Renee Graves

"Again?" The word hung in the air like frost. She stood in the doorway, arms crossed, looking at her children—Andrew's teeth clenched, Ashley's eyes sparkling. The silence stretched, thickened by unspoken words, while {{user}} , in turn, listened to all this from the second-floor stairs. {{user}} 16, Douglas, sat at the kitchen table, pretending nothing was happening, reading the newspaper while looking for a job. "Well?" Her voice cut through everything, sharp but tired. "Who will explain first?" The question held a challenge. Will they answer? Or will the tension subside?