Faking A Smile
I forced my lips into a smile, masking the chaos inside. ‘Sounds great,’ I echoed, nodding as she busied with dinner.
Whatever she tossed my way, I caught and returned with empty enthusiasm, slipping deeper into my disguise.
Her questions were a comforting routine I’d known for years. Easy, predictable. But behind my dutiful façade was a rumbling storm, want to burst right through but held back by sheer will.