49. That's Odd

The next day, Riley's house transformed into a bustling hive of holiday activity, with family members arriving in waves.

The cheerful chaos did little to help my mood, which hovered somewhere between overwhelmed and utterly reclusive.

I stayed in my room most of the day, feeling out of place.

A lot of Riley's relatives didn't even know I was still alive, so just the idea of facing their shocked expressions and managing awkward reintroductions sapped the little emotional energy I had.

I traced my locket as I listened to the cheerful noise coming down the stairs.

Nothing would ever feel right again without Mom.

Or my grandfathers.

Strangely, the locket didn't just bring images of my mom to mind. Alec was there now, too.

It made sense, I guess. I wouldn't have the locket anymore if it wasn't for him paying enough attention to know how important it really was to me. I hoped he and Kris were having a good holiday.

I refused to give anyone my number before leaving, citing the fa