The Family Tree

"Sad?" Serena forced a bright, unbothered smile, reaching out to gently stroke her daughter’s damp hair. "No, honey. I am not sad at all."

Chloe frowned, her perceptive gaze unwavering. She rested her small hands flat on the cold marble of the kitchen counter. "It is not good to tell lies, Mommy."

Serena let out a soft breath. She masked her inner turmoil behind a thick veil of maternal warmth.