*Michael*
My hands shook and trembled as I ran them through my hair, a futile attempt at calming the storm inside me. My fingers tangled in the strands, mirroring the knots twisting my stomach into tight coils of anxiety.
I glanced at Lucas and found his own expression etched with worry, then at Lauren. My eldest daughter's eyes mirrored my dread, her face pale, her posture tense as if she were bracing against a hurricane raging wildly in the quiet room.
“Shelby and I got into a fight,” I said. I choked out the words, each one tasting like ash in my mouth. "And she stormed off down the beach. I said some horrible things to her. Things I never should’ve said and wish I could take back. I hope I get the chance to apologize.”
