This was the man she had loved all her life. From childhood to adulthood, she always followed behind him. When he laughed, she laughed; when he was anxious, she was anxious; when he was sad, she was sad. Her eyes were always fixed on him. But in his eyes, she had never been there.
With a heavy heart, Norma Ruby tightly clenched her hand, her fingernails digging into her palm. Pain allowed her to regain a little clarity, finally averting her gaze from Gem. A gentle smile adorned her face as she turned to Elijah: "Elijah, your dad hasn't eaten yet, and he's been caught in the rain. He must be hungry and tired. How about we eat first and then play? Mommy will play with you too, is that okay?"
Elijah heard and, raising his head, looked at Norma Ruby. A hint of suspicion shone in his bright eyes, but he quickly hid it, calmly setting down his King Kong toy and smiled at Gem Atkinson.
