AMELIA stood frozen where she was, the glass of water still in her hand and her phone now removed fromher ears, with the front door just clicked open—
Her eyes widened.
“Hazel?” she called out in shock, momentarily forgetting she was still on the phone with Clara.
The girl standing by the door lifted her gaze toward her.
“Yeah, Mom.”
For a second, Amelia just stared.
Hazel stood there with her backpack slung over one shoulder, her uniform slightly creased from travel, strands of her hair falling loosely around her face. She looked tired… but also oddly determined.
Amelia’s heart skipped.
Hazel was supposed to be somewhere else entirely.
“Amelia? Hello? You there?”
Clara’s voice suddenly came through the phone, pulling Amelia back to reality.
Her eyelids flickered and she looked
