She really did miss him.
“How was your reunion?” Uncle Paul asked.
“It was fine. Stilted but fine.
They’re all worried about me, and it’s not helping matters.” She hiked her backpack up as she headed into the forest.
“They’re worried about you.”
“I know. I heard them talking.”
“While you were leaving the room?”
“Yes. They were talking about my transition. It seems to be all they talk about.” She’d lain in bed last night listening to everything in the house. It had been surreal to be staring at her ceiling and hearing everything. Rachel had been listening to music while making notes in her book for her studies. Tom had been working out in his room. Holly was crushing over a guy at school. All of her siblings had been doing odd tasks but not keeping their noise down. She’d loved every second of it. In the past she hadn’t heard a thing. When she’d been lying in bed the house had seemed dead inside.
Last night she’d also listened to her parents talk.
