When Family Became a Place I Couldn’t Return To novel Chapter 292

Sheila reached out, her fingers brushing softly through Carrie’s hair, and looked at her with gentle understanding. “Carrie, you’re missing your mom, aren’t you?”

Carrie bit her lip and nodded, her eyes downcast.

Yesterday at the hospital, Nelly’s anger had scared her more than she wanted to admit. She was terrified that her mom might abandon her again. Even though she missed Nelly so much it hurt, she couldn’t bring herself to go looking for her.

Brody was still in the hospital, so he’d left Carrie with Tina. Tina and Sheila had silently agreed to let Sheila take over watching Carrie.

But as Sheila and Carrie walked out of the classroom together, Carrie suddenly stopped in the hallway.

“Ms. Olson, I think I’ll just wait for Alan to pick me up,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

She knew that if she stayed here, Alan would come for her eventually. Her mom was back now, and if she kept staying with Sheila, her mom wouldn’t be happy.

Sheila took it in stride, her smile never fading. “If you want to see your mom, how about I take you to her?”

Carrie’s eyes lit up with hope, but the feeling faded almost instantly. Her shoulders slumped again.

“Mom won’t want to see me,” she said softly.

“Why would you think that? Isn’t your mom always the person who loves you most?” Sheila’s voice was gentle as she tucked a stray strand of hair behind Carrie’s ear.

“But I did things she doesn’t like,” Carrie whispered.

Nelly was always good to her, but when Nelly was gone, she went out with Sheila. And Nelly didn’t like Dad, but she kept trying to make them get back together.

The memory of her mom fighting with Grandma at the hospital made Carrie feel small and lost. She didn’t know what to do to make her mom stay.

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