Standing next to Morris Jackson, Lyra Smith consciously leaned her back against him.
He had said today that he would not let her face things alone. At that time, she just thought it meant he would simply be present, but she hadn't expected him to stand up for her, maintain control of the situation, and fight for her to receive respect rather than be easily dismissed by Erwin's parents.
Her heart was in turmoil, there was a mix of emotions: touched, yet also a peculiar palpitation.
She tilted her head back to sneak a glance at him, and realized she could only see his profile from this angle. She wondered to herself, was he really the same Uncle Jackson she'd been scared of all this time?
Clearly not!
She found herself unable to pinpoint exactly when, but she was not as afraid of him as she'd been before, from not opposing being in his company to constantly thinking of him, and feeling safe when she saw him in unfamiliar places...
