The praise felt like needles pricking my skin. I tightened my grip on the tablet, forcing myself to look up and smile back. “Thank you, Tom. I’ll always be grateful to you and Sarah.”
Sarah ruffled my hair affectionately, her touch gentle but suffocating. She handed me a bag filled with wedding decorations—balloons, decals, tablecloths.
“Here, Bianca. Could you help with the decorations? And don’t forget, when you find someone you like, you’d better bring him home for us to meet!”
Her words were lighthearted, teasing, but they struck a nerve I didn’t know was so raw. My smile faltered for a fraction of a second before I forced it back into place.
“Of course,” I said softly, clutching the bag tighter and tighter until the edges of the plastic dug into my palms.
Tom pretended to scoff, shaking his head with a mock frown. “She’s just turned eighteen, Sarah. Don’t push her out of the house already! Bianca, don’t listen to her. There’s no rush. You’re part of this family for as long as you want to be.”
The sincerity in his words was unbearable. My vision blurred for a moment and I blinked rapidly, swallowing the lump in my throat.
***