Bernard's shoulders sagged under the weight of his mother's accusations. He looked at Isadora, tears brimming in his eyes.
"Love, what is it?" Isadora walked closer to him.
Bernard shook his head, hiding his face behind his forearms, unable to look at Isadora in the eye. He then swiftly turned to run.
"Run!" Bernard's mother shouted. "Run, like you always do, monster!"
Her face was twisted with disgust and utter hatred looking at Bernard. Isadora looked at the face of a mother who despised her son and her heart broke to see how shriveled and hurt Bernard was as he walked away.
"Shut up, woman! Don't you dare hurt my Bernard anymore!" Isadora shouted at Bernard's mother.
Jessamyn was too shocked to act. Her heart pounded to see the ferociousness on Isadora's face—the fierceness of a mother bear.
