Amelia closed the door to her house, leaning against it as she exhaled shakily. The kids were asleep upstairs, their rhythmic breathing a stark contrast to the chaos in her mind.
Her fingers brushed her lips, still tingling from the kiss. The memory of it lingered, vivid and consuming, but so did the guilt.
She moved to the kitchen, pouring herself a glass of water. As she sipped, her phone buzzed on the counter. The screen lit up with James’s name. Her heart sank as she hesitated, then picked it up.
“Hey,” she answered, forcing a smile into her voice.
“Amelia,” James said warmly, his voice a soothing balm. “I just wanted to check on you. Is everything okay?”
She pressed her free hand against her temple, willing herself to sound normal. “No. It’s been such a long day. I can’t imagine who could be doing something like that to the kids. But I will lay down my life to save them if I need to.”
“I can imagine,” he said, his tone full of care. “If you need anything, you know I’m here, right?”
“Of course,” she replied, guilt twisting in her chest. “Thank you, James.”
As they ended the call, Amelia stared at the phone, her reflection in the darkened screen. The weight of her actions pressed down on her, her mind replaying the moment at the station and the warmth in James’s voice.
Upstairs, the creak of a floorboard broke her thoughts. She hurried up to check on the twins, stopping by Debby’s bed first. Her daughter’s peaceful face was a stark reminder of what truly mattered.
“I can’t let this spiral,” Amelia whispered to herself. She leaned down, pressing a kiss to Debby’s forehead. “You and Damien deserve better than this mess.”
She moved to Damien’s room next, standing in the doorway as her son shifted in his sleep. Her resolve solidified—whatever complicated feelings lingered for Ryan, she couldn’t let them disrupt the stability she was trying to rebuild.