"Can you make time for the day after tomorrow? Let's have a dinner," Madelyn asked her daughter over the phone.
"Oh, you're back in the US?" Rayleigh asked, her brow furrowing slightly. "Isabelle is in town for a week."
"Good, bring her too. Your brother will also be there," Madelyn said, and Rayleigh suddenly felt her body stiffen.
"Matthew is back?" Rayleigh's voice held a hint of hesitation, and Madelyn could feel the weight of her daughter's concerns; she could feel how important Isabelle was to her.
"Look, he wanted to say something to you. And I believe Isabelle isn't the same as Lauren; that girl is bright, and she loves you a lot," Madelyn reassured her.
Rayleigh took a deep breath, her mind racing with a thousand thoughts. "I know, mom." Rayleigh said, her voice tinged with uncertainty.
