“How long is she staying?” Duncan then shifted his attention to Angela, pointing at the half-eaten cinnamon roll on his plate. “This is very good, by the way.”
“Thank you,” she said.
“They are very delicious,” Elizabeth agreed. “And they’re going to be far too tempting.”
Jude took a sip of his coffee, then set the mug down. “She’s staying through Sunday.”
Duncan grimaced. “I have half a mind to fly myself and Liz out of here for that period of time.”
“We can’t abandon the children,” Elizabeth said gently as she rested her hand on Duncan’s arm. “As challenging as it is to deal with Jill.”
“Well, there’s really no reason you should have to deal with her,” Jude said. “Will Julian be back?”
“Yes, he’ll be flying back here tomorrow night.”
Angela was glad for that, though hopefully Julian would be sober for the visit.
"Good," Jude said. "That will make things easier for Angela."
"I'm nervous about meeting her," Angela admitted, then immediately regretted the confession. She didn't want to seem weak or childish.
"That's completely understandable," Elizabeth said warmly. "Meeting a parent for the first time—especially under these circumstances—would be overwhelming for anyone. And having to do it twice is probably double the stress for you."
Duncan's expression softened as he looked at Angela. "If at any point you feel uncomfortable or want to leave, just tell Jude. He'll get you out of there immediately."
"I will," Jude confirmed, his voice steady and reassuring.
Angela felt some of the tension in her shoulders ease. Having Jude there would definitely help. Even with their complicated friendship, she trusted him completely when it came to her safety and well-being.
"What about Annie?" Angela asked. "Will she be meeting with her mom while she's here?"
Duncan and Elizabeth exchanged a look that Angela was beginning to recognize—the kind of silent communication that came from years of marriage.
"That's up to Annie," Duncan said carefully. "Jill will probably ask to see her, but I won't pressure Annie into doing anything she's not ready for."
"She's been doing better lately," Elizabeth added. "More confident in setting boundaries. But the idea of seeing her mother is still difficult."
Angela nodded, understanding more than she wanted to about difficult family dynamics. The irony wasn't lost on her that she was nervous about meeting her biological mother while simultaneously grateful for the distance she’d had from her.
“Any other plans for the week?” Duncan asked.
“We’ll continue with the self-defense training and driving lessons as time allows.”
“No weapons training yet?”
Jude shook his head. “Once this week is over, we’ll start with that.”
“Kiara seems to be looking forward to it,” Elizabeth said with a smile.
“Oh yes,” Angela agreed. “She’s been so excited about learning all this new stuff.”
“She’s definitely been an eager pupil,” Jude said.
Angela felt a twinge of insecurity. Would he have preferred her to be more enthusiastic, like Kiara was?
“You’re not as eager, Angela?” Duncan asked.
“I, uh… tend to approach things with a bit more caution.” Angela gripped the glass of water she’d filled for herself. “But once I feel a little more confident, I enjoy learning new things.”
