Chapter 4
Chapter 4
Layla's mother Ruth joins her on the back steps and reveals a family secret: when Summer was Layla's age, their parents tried to force her into a marriage. Summer refused, fled to Nashville, and was ostracized by the family, with William and Ruth complicit. Ruth admits her regret and tells Layla the story to explain Summer's presence and offer. Layla decides to go see Summer at the motel to hear her story directly.
Layla sat on the back steps, the concrete warm through her jeans. She had pulled up the Greyhound schedule on her phone, but her thumb hovered over the screen without pressing anything. The yard was small and fenced, with a single oak tree casting shade over the dying grass. She heard the back door creak open.
Ruth stepped out, a glass of water in her hand. She sat down on the step beside Layla, not speaking at first. The silence stretched for a long moment.
"You looked like her, you know," Ruth said finally. "When you stood up to your father earlier."
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