867. Hearing the words 'I love you'.

 

It felt like the worst Thanksgiving ever. And it was going so well, too. Lily didn't know why she'd reacted the way she did.

Oh, yes she did. Why did her mom still want to be a part of this family? She was with Lily's uncle Sky now. Wasn't he a little too young for her?

It felt so ridiculous now. Sure, they made everything sound so casual. Like she just needed a ride from Chicago. Lily rolled her eyes at the thought. Or possibly just cringing.

Of course, her grandmother and even her dad were fine with it. They all got along so well. It just made Lily tense now.

"What's the  matter with you?" Rafe had wanted to know. First, it was the dress. He thought she'd overdressed and now he could see she was stressed. 

She wanted to tell him it was nothing. She was supposed to handle things like this. And she had in the past. She'd gotten along with everyone. There was a time, home only felt to be when she was with her grandmother. Actually, it felt that way now. She was happy to be with her. 

Still, she knew it wasn't all her mother's fault. She'd remarried and she had a new family, but that didn't last either. Now, this. Why couldn't Lily be more accepting?

Sure her mom and Sky were both outsiders, but her grandmother was letting them both in as if she wanted them near. Lily wanted to get used to it. She wanted to be happy, but it felt as if she'd been sucker-punched somehow. And she hadn't seen it coming.

Maybe they weren't together after all. But they really seemed to know each other. Just what was Christmas going to be like? At the moment, she was leaving Rafe in the cold, and Lily hadn't meant to.