020

Erica:

As I pulled up to my house, I was puzzled to see Lorenzo's car parked out front. What is he doing here? We hadn't made any plans to meet. I took a deep breath and headed inside, preparing myself for whatever awaits.

When I opened the door, Lorenzo was standing in the entryway. "Erica! There you are," he said, rushing over to me and wrapping me in a tight hug. I hugged him back, but it felt more like a formality than a genuine embrace. Something felt off.

I glanced around the living room and noticed the kids weren't bouncing around excitedly like they normally do. They were seated quietly on the couch, barely acknowledging our presence. That was strange

"Is everything okay?" I asked looking between Lorenzo and the kids.

"Everything's fine," Lorenzo assured me, but there was an edge to his voice that made me doubt his words. "I just wanted to see you. I was disturbed about how you sounded on the phone some days back. Is that a problem?"

"No, of course not," I said quickly, not wa