598: ON MY MIND

ARIEL'S POV I pulled out a chair and sat down across from Janice, reaching for a glass of orange juice. "Morning, Janice. How are you feeling?" Janice shrugged, her gaze dropping back to her phone. "Okay, I guess. Dad hasn't called or texted." I nodded, a pit forming in my stomach. "I'm not surprised. He needs time to process what happened." Janice's brow furrowed, her expression troubled. "He should have thought about that before...you know." I swallowed, my heart aching for Janice. She was my child, but she wasn't a child anymore. She deserved to understand what was happening, even if it was painful. "Janice, what your dad did was wrong. He made a huge mistake, and he needs to face the consequences. But...I want you to know that I understand that he's your dad. You love him, and that's okay." Janice set her phone down, her eyes shining with unshed tears. "It's just...I don't know what to feel right now, Mom." "It's okay to feel confused and angry and sad," I said, reaching ou