Sam stepped closer, his voice gentle. “You’re doing the right thing, Maddie. She needs to tell him, but she also needs to know she’s got people behind her, no matter what happens. Which I think she does.”
“I hope so, but maybe I should remind her.” Maddie looked up at him, her heart swelling with gratitude. He had been such a steady presence through all of this, and she didn’t know how she would have managed without him. “Thanks, Sam. I really appreciate you being here.”
He smiled the kind of smile that made the room feel a little warmer. “Anytime.”
Later that afternoon, as the sun beamed bright over the snowy landscape, the knock on the door that Maddie had been dreading finally came. She finished filling the kettle and set it on a burner to heat before going to the door. This time, itwasHannah.
The girl stood in the entrance, bundled up in her oversized coat, her dark hair tucked under a knit hat. Her face was pale, and there was a tension in her posture that made Maddie’s heart ache.
“Hi, Hannah,” Maddie said, stepping aside to let her in. “Come on in. It’s freezing out there.”
Hannah shuffled inside, her boots leaving wet tracks on the floor as she moved to take off her coat. Maddie watched her, trying to gauge how she was feeling, but the girl’s expression was unreadable.
“How are you doing?” Maddie asked, closing the door behind her.
Hannah shrugged, her eyes fixed on the floor. “Okay, I guess.”
Maddie didn’t press further, knowing the conversation ahead would be delicate. She led Hannah into the living room, where Schatzi greeted her warmly from her armchair. Ernie was stretched out beside her, purring softly and no doubt enjoying the warmth of the fire.
“Good to see you, Hannah,” Schatzi said, her voice kind. “You’re just in time. Maddie’s making tea. You want some?”
Hannah nodded mutely, taking a seat on the sofa. Her hands fidgeted in her lap, twisting the edge of her sweater as though she were trying to keep herself from unraveling.
Right on cue, the kettle whistled. Maddie went into the kitchen, fixed three mugs of tea, and brought them back. They all sat and drank, and Maddie could feel the tension radiating offof Hannah. After a few minutes of small-talk, Maddie decided it was time to tackle the elephant in the room.
She was already seated next to Hannah, so she cleared her throat slightly and began. “Hannah, Schatzi and I want to talk about what we discussed the other week.”
Hannah’s shoulders tensed, and she stared into her tea, her jaw tight, her hands clenched around the mug. “I don’t want to.”
“I know it’s hard,” Maddie said gently, “but we can’t avoid this. You need to tell your dad.”
Hannah set her cup on the side table and shook her head, her hands balling into fists in her lap. “He’s going to freak out. He’ll...he’ll kick me out, I know it.”
Maddie’s heart clenched at the fear in Hannah’s voice. “You don’t know that for sure,” she said. “And if he does, you have a place here. I promise you that.”
“We both do,” Schatzi said. “You’ll never be without a home.”
“You don’t get it.” Hannah blinked back tears, her eyes wide and filled with desperation. “I don’t want him to hate me. He’s the only parent I have left.”
The sheer pain in her voice made Maddie’s chest tighten. She reached out to take Hannah’s hand. “He won’t hate you, Hannah. He loves you. He might be upset at first, but he’ll come around. Maybe it’ll take time, but he will. And even if he doesn’t handle it well initially, you’ll get through this. We’ll get through this together. You arenotgoing to be alone.”
Hannah’s lips trembled, and for a moment, Maddie thought she was going to break down again. But then she nodded, a tiny, hesitant nod that gave Maddie hope.
“Okay. I’ll tell him,” Hannah whispered, her voice barely audible. “But I can’t do it alone.”
“You won’t have to,” Maddie said firmly, giving her hand a little squeeze. “Sam and I will be there with you when you tell him. If you want us to be.”
Hannah looked up, her eyes glistening with a mix of fear and gratitude. “You will? Both of you?”
“Of course,” Maddie replied, her voice steady. “We’ll go with you, and we’ll help you explain everything. We’ll be right by your side.”
Schatzi, who had been listening quietly from her chair, gave a nod of approval. “You’ve got more people looking out for you than you realize, Hannah.”
Hannah wiped at her eyes, sniffling as she managed a small, shaky smile. It only lasted a second, but it had been there. “Thank you.”
A day later, Maddie, Sam, and Hannah stood on the snowy front steps of Hannah’s house, the tension between them almost unbearable. The house was small and weathered, a stark contrast to the snowy beauty surrounding it.
Maddie’s breath formed clouds in the icy air, and her heart thumped as they stood in silence, waiting for Hannah’s father to open the door. She prayed this went well. Or at least better than Hannah was anticipating.
