Chapter 107: At Charles's Apartment

Marie I sat at the table with Crystal. She was wearing a bright floral dress that matched her cheerful personality, her auburn hair tied back in a loose ponytail. She hummed softly to herself as she poured some fresh juice on us both. It was a Sunday, and the kids were either in church or at home with their parents, leaving the house unusually quiet. I pushed my plate of scrambled eggs around with my fork. The aroma of the toast and jam did little to rouse my appetite, and I couldn’t focus on anything other than the gnawing questions in my mind. "Are you okay?" Crystal’s voice broke through my reverie. Her green eyes narrowed slightly with concern as she studied my face. I forced a small smile, one that I knew didn’t reach my eyes. "Just thinking," I mumbled, reaching for my cup and taking a sip. The warmth did little to soothe the coldness in my chest. "You’ve been ‘just thinking’ a lot lately," she observed, leaning forward with her chin resting on her hand and her elbow propped