Rebecca stepped aside reluctantly, revealing the scene inside. The house was filled with laughter, adults mingling with glasses of wine, while Emma and Tyler ran around with other children. It was then that I saw Marcus, chatting animatedly with a group of friends. He turned and saw me, his expression instantly shifting from relaxed to alarmed.
“Mom… you should have called,” Marcus said, forcing a smile but failing to hide the tension in his voice. I could see the calculations running through his mind, the scramble for explanations.
