The front door clicked open with the soft sound of a key turning, followed by the gentle thud of boots on the wooden floor.
"Mom, we're home," Keith called out, his voice noticeably lower than usual—quiet, strained.
From the living room, Keisha looked up from her half-finished book. The warm light from a floor lamp bathed her in soft gold, casting calm shadows across her gentle features. She set the book down and stood, wiping her hands on a towel she had folded earlier over her lap.
She walked to the hallway just as Keith rounded the corner, followed closely by Shania. Her eyes scanned them both quickly, and her heart immediately clenched.
