13#13

13

Harry glanced at me helplessly. I instantly grasped the situation. She must have coerced him into revealing our docking location and had been waiting here since.

She strode towards us purposefully, her high-heeled feet moving with resolve. Her weary eyes, no longer avoiding mine, locked onto my gaze.

Her countenance bore signs of struggle, as if life had been unkind to her in my absence. Yet, these were the results of her own decisions.

She hurried over and seized my hand, attempting to drag me away. I gently but firmly removed her grasp.

"Joey ... you ...," she stuttered.

"You've made your stance clear, Auntie," I replied, unmoved. "I shouldn't have entertained those thoughts in the first place, correct? Why are you complicating matters?"

Terror flashed across her features.

"No, Joey, that's not it. It's not!" She begged, "I admit my mistake. I hurt you because I couldn't confront my emotions."