The Breaking Point
The following evening, Thad decided to take matters into his own hands. He confronted Annie once again, his patience wearing thin. “Annie, I can’t keep pretending that everything is okay when it’s clearly not,” he said, his voice tinged with frustration. “You’re avoiding my mother’s food, you’re avoiding me, and I don’t know why.”
Annie looked at Thad, her eyes filled with a mixture of guilt and fear. “Thad, please,” she pleaded, “I’m trying to protect you.”