Oliver’s question hung in the air like something no one could take back. Savannah opened her mouth, searching for words, but nothing came out. Lily looked between the adults, confused and uncertain.

Brent stood silently, staring at the ground. The weight of the moment seemed to press down on all of them at once. No one dared to speak for a long time.

Finally, Savannah whispered that she had been angry. But even she knew it wasn’t an explanation that made sense of what had happened.

Oliver simply shook his head. “Grandma was always nice to us,” he said quietly, and the truth in his words made everything heavier-