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Laurie swallowed.
She knew the game had been stressful for everyone, but to think ’Chelle had gone through all that…
Thank goodness she’d made it away from the Bleacher Creatures and back to her mom.
Laurie wasn’t sure she could have run that far herself.
Just calming her own dad had taken everything she had — and even then, she’d needed help.
’Chelle hummed softly, absentmindedly ruffling Zane’s hair where he sat on her lap. He bobbed happily under her hand.
“I was more worried about my phone than anything,” she said. “If I hadn’t left it at home, none of this would’ve happened.”
Laurie supposed that was true.
But…
“But your mom wouldn’t have known,” she murmured.
Her own mom would have screamed to the high heavens if something like that had happened to her.
“True,” ’Chelle admitted with a soft laugh.
Then she leaned against Laurie’s shoulder, casual as anything, one hand curling gently around Laurie’s.
Laurie squeezed back without thinking.
The warmth of it surprised her — how easy it felt.
She let herself smile, the last of the tension slowly melting away.
They were both safe.
And right now…
That was enough.