“Home. The word still tastes like sandpaper in my mouth. But it makes Mom smile—a tired, true smile—so it’s worth it.”

“I sighed. “Mom, it’s not like we’re going to have sex with you home.”“Well, honey, it’s good to know that you only have sex when I’m not home.”Daemon coughed as he fought a smile. “We can stay—”

“You’re still home?” I ask. “It’s not even curfew.”“Thought I’d grace you all with my presence.” She pauses to smile.”

“A smile is worth a thousand words.”

“It’s brown.” So maybe I had the teeniest, tiniest, most infinitesimal amount of auburn in my hair. I was still a brunette. “It’s the lighting,” I said.“Yeah, maybe it’s the lightbulbs.” His smile brought up both sides of his mouth, and a dimple surfaced.”

“The tear stayed in her eye, never falling down her cheek, and then the left side of her mouth crept up into a half-smile. This was my mom. She would come home to us again. -If I Know It's Coming”