THEY CAN TELL

Angela's nieces, Liya and Lia, sat huddled together on the bed inside Doris's old childhood room, which she had prepared specially for them.

The girls had sensed Angela's sudden coldness throughout the evening and that made them worried, to top it all Jace was nowhere to be found too.

The kids knew something was wrong.

“Come on, girls,” Doris said softly, her voice tinged with a gentle sadness. “It's time for bed now.”

Lia looked up at Doris with tear-filled eyes, clutching her sister Liya's hand tightly.

“But we want to stay up with Auntie Angela. She…she seems really sad.”

Liya nodded in agreement, her lower lip trembling.

“Can't we stay a little longer?”

Doris knelt down beside them, her heart aching for the innocence caught in the midst of grown-up emotion.

“Baby, you don't have to worry about her, she will be fine I promise you, I will take care of your aunty, okay?”

The girls went silent but still sobbing.

“Why is she sad? When is big brother Jace coming? We miss him”.

Lia sob