Mother returned

The silence in the kitchen was broken by the sound of footsteps coming from the hallway. Emily's eyes darted towards the kitchen entrance, her heart racing with anticipation. Ms. Thompson's gaze also shifted towards the entrance, her expression unreadable. Sarah, still looking down, seemed to be holding her breath.

As the footsteps grew louder, Emily's mother appeared in the entrance of the kitchen, her face pale and her eyes cast downward. She looked fragile, her shoulders slumped in defeat. Ms. Thompson's eyes narrowed slightly as she took in the mother's appearance, her expression a mixture of disappointment and disapproval.

As the mother's eyes met Ms. Thompson's, a faint whisper escaped her lips, "I'm sorry." The words hung in the air, a **** attempt to appease the stern expression that greeted her. Ms. Thompson's gaze lingered on the mother's face, her eyes searching for something, but her expression remained unreadable. The mother's eyes dropped, her shoulders slumping further in defeat, as if the weight of her apology was crushing her.

The kitchen was silent, the only sound the soft hum of the refrigerator and the quiet breathing of the three women. Emily and Sarah exchanged a nervous glance, their eyes wide with concern.