--36--

ALICE

I keep replaying last night’s events in my head over and over. I text Cynthia, Viv, and Ted to let them know that everything was fine after Rian left and that I was going straight to bed, so it didn’t surprise me to wake up to loud banging coming from the kitchen - Cynthia’s not so subtle way of waking me up before she had to leave for the day. 

"Morning mom," I slid up to the table, relaxing back into the chair as I slipped a danish off the plate, "when did you have time to go get these?" 

"You know," she tapped her foot against the floor with her hands on her hips, "I really do feel like your mother. A mother with a delinquent child who comes in late at night and sneaks off to bed, except you went to bed at supper time to avoid all of us." 

"Give her