parents' kitchen was cool

ar cry from the dilapidated, poor

om' s cinnamon rolls, a scent from

that settled in her bones, a residue from her pr

felt like a palace after the s

stove. Her mom' s smile was warm, her eyes, not yet etched with the de

night. Thought you were c

of golden-brown cinna

on your bones, especially if you' re going to be

e word was

a lump in

genuine concern – i

s, Rick' s mother, Patty, had only ever l

." Her voice wa

her shoulder. "

and Mark, her older brother

d' s already

, struggling local diner, the

c, helped out w

reen door cr

, his eyes immediately fi

hteen. The local high school football star

a cold knot formi

, the man, who w

this

Rick said, his voice overly

him, but instinctively, a small, p

aid n

f, Rick. Though Sarah needs them more, looki

f a roll into his mouth. "She'

s already showing signs

and not enough discipline. The way he

his older, more "successful" brother, Kyle, and c

y, was a whiner

users, jus

h as a means to an end,

but they were comfortable e

ed. They owned t

otic, grasping family,

ah, flattered by the attention of the

ped with his homework, listened to

est cheerleader, his

, cover for him when he slacked off

h that?" Rick asked, ey

ave pushed it towar

it up and took a

Rick.

e was le

surprised, t

k to Sarah, a small fr

own roll, watched th

t a toddler, though in Sarah' s memories was a young girl she' d oft

had often said, "Sarah, you' re too g

too polite, or too resigned to small-town exp

t the talk if she broke up

. "Still planning on that trip to the la

"Yeah, gotta live it

wouldn' t last. No

that the foreman was an idiot, that

e his excuse for many

l, stood up, and took

om. Need to pick up some applicat

s hung i

munity college? What for? I thou

b at the diner full-time, supporting

w smile spread across her face. "

whistle. "Goo

ead through her. Their

face was a mask of dis

hat about

Rick," she said, he

uttering in the kitchen, her f

chain wa