The kitchen was filled with the warm scent of yeast and cinnamon as Angela moved to wash her hands at the sink. Judefound himself reluctant to leave, though he knew he should get back to his office.
"There's something else," he said, pulling out his phone. "Duncan wants you and Kiara to have new phones. With GPS tracking and some other security features."
Angela dried her hands on a towel, her expression growing uncertain again. "Tracking?"
"It's standard for everyone in the family," Jude explained quickly. "Just a precaution. If something happened, we'd be able to find you quickly."
She nodded, though he could see the wheels turning in her mind. "Like if Jim tried to take us back?"
"That's one scenario, yes." Jude wished he could soften the reality of it, but Angela needed to understand the potential threats. "Duncan takes the safety of his family very seriously."
"His family," Angela repeated quietly, as if testing the words. "It still doesn't feel real."
"It will," Jude said. "Give it time."
Angela leaned against the counter, her arms crossed over her chest. "Can I ask you something?"
"Of course."
"Yesterday, when we arrived… Annie seemed…" Angela appeared to struggle for the right words. "Do you think she resents me? For coming back?"
Jude considered his answer carefully. He'd noticed Annie's reserved behavior too, the way she'd seemed to keep her distance. But he also knew Annie well enough to understand the complexity of her feelings.
It was hard because, surprisingly, he’d developed a bond with Angela. He also had a bond—albeit completely different from the one he shared with Angela—with Annie.
Because of the gap in their ages, Annie had always been like a little sister to Jude. He’d been in her life since her birth, so he knew her, and he knew that this would be hard for her.
"I don't think she resents you," Jude said finally. "Though Annie doesn’t remember you, she’s always knownaboutyou. She grew up with your pictures around, hearing stories about her twin sister. But knowing about you and suddenly having you here are two different things."
Angela nodded slowly. "I just don't want to make things harder for her. For any of them."
"That's not your responsibility," Jude said, his voice gentle but firm. "You didn't ask to be taken from your family."
"It's just…" Angela trailed off, her fingers fidgeting with the edge of the towel. "I feel like I'm intruding. Like I've disrupted this perfect life they had."
Jude moved closer, though he was careful to maintain a respectful distance. "Their life hasn’t been perfect without you, Angela. There's been a hole in this family for twenty-four years. Duncan never stopped looking for you, never stopped hoping."
Her eyes met his. "And Annie?"
"Annie's complicated," Jude admitted. "She's grown up with this ghost beside her—the sister she was supposed to have but didn't. That's a lot to process. Give her time."
Angela's shoulders relaxed slightly. "I just want to be somewhere… safe. To feel like I belong.”
"You do belong," Jude said, his voice quiet. "More than you realize."
The kitchen fell silent except for the gentle hum of the refrigerator. Angela looked up at him, her eyes holding questions that she didn’t ask.
"I should let you finish your baking," Jude said, taking a step back. "We can start the self-defense stuff tomorrow, after we get you and Kiara set up with your new phones. Just to put Duncan a little more at ease."
"Okay," Angela said, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "Though I'm still not convinced I won't be terrible at all of it."
"You'll do fine," Jude assured her. He was fairly confident in that assessment since Annie had picked it up quickly.
"Thank you." Angela glanced at the covered tray of cinnamon rolls. "Would you like to stay? They'll be ready in about an hour."
The invitation surprised him. "I should get back to work, but maybe I’ll come back later."
A soft smile spread across Angela’s face. "I'll save you some.”
