CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND SEVENTY THREE - Revisiting the Past

"I'm working on it," Nia said carefully. "There's a lot I need to tell you all, but... can we just have dinner first? Like old times?" Her father and brother exchanged a look but nodded. "Of course, mija," Carlos said softly. Elena bustled in with steaming plates of arroz con pollo, Nia's favorite. "Eat, eat," she urged, setting the plates down. "You're too skinny, Nia. They don't feed you in Philadelphia?" Nia couldn't help but laugh. "The food's not as good as yours, Mama." As they ate, the conversation flowed more easily. Luis talked about his new job at a tech startup, while her parents filled her in on neighborhood gossip. For a while, Nia could almost pretend that the last few years hadn't happened, that she was just home for a regular family dinner. But as the meal wound down, she knew she couldn't avoid the elephant in the room any longer. Taking a deep breath, she set down her fork. "There's something I need to tell you all." The atmosphere in the room immediately tensed