The words were right there, burning at the back of her throat, but she bit them back, pressing her lips together as she climbed into the car.
She wouldn’t break down in a parking lot. Wouldn’t let the tension in her chest spill out where strangers could see, where the receptionist inside could glance out the window and witness her unraveling.
James lingered by the open car door, watching her carefully, like hefeltthe shift but didn’t understand it.
Good.
Let him wonder.
She forced a nod, tight and stiff, gripping the seatbelt with fingers that ached from how hard she clenched it.
And when he shut the door, Kate stared straight ahead, heart pounding with unspoken words.
The storm was still there.
Simmering just beneath her skin.
She wasn’t done being angry. Not even close.
------------------
The dinner table was tense, the kind of tension that hung in the air long before the first words were even spoken.
Noah sat slouched in his chair, fork aimlessly pushing his mashed potatoes around his plate, earbuds dangling from his neck like he wasbarelyhere.
Kate noticed.
She always noticed.
He’d been quieter lately—sullen, short-tempered. And she knew why.
College decisions were starting to loom on the horizon. His junior year was more than halfway over, and all his friends were talking about campus visits and applications and test scores. It should have been an exciting time.
But instead, the entire subject felt like walking a tightrope.
Tonight, she wanted to try.
She cleared her throat softly, setting down her fork.
“So, have you thought more about where you might want to visit? I saw some brochures on the counter—was that from your counselor?”
Noah barely looked up.
“Yeah.”
Silence.
Kate forced a smile, keeping her voice calm, steady.
“Do you want to go check out any of the schools nearby? Maybe this weekend? I’d love to—”
Noah cut her off, his voice sharp. “Mom, you wouldn’t even know where to start.”
The words hit like a slap. Lily, silent until now, shifted in her chair, blinking wide-eyed between them.
Kate blinked, heat rising to her cheeks. “Excuse me?”
Noah scoffed, finally looking up, eyes narrowed in that teenage glare that felt like nails under her skin.