Page 6 of Breakaway

“Morgan,”—Willow tilted her head curiously—“Are you drinking coffee?”

Morgan nodded, as she had just taken a mouthful of the caffeinated liquid.

“Mommy, I’ll have a coffee please,” Willow said, matter of factly.

Morgan almost spit out her coffee at the little girl’s very serious request. She was the most well-spoken seven-year-old she had ever met.

“No, you’ll have milk, like normal,” Trina said flatly, as if she was used to little Willow’s crazy hijinks.

“Are you eating breakfast?” Willow asked Morgan.

“I am,” Morgan answered. She couldn’t help but smile at Willow. The coffee wasn’t kicking in yet, but this little girl was too cute for her own good. “I’m having cereal.”

Hank crawled into the chair across from her and ran a car along the table. Looking up at Morgan, all the five-year-old boy did was grin shyly.

“Mommy, I’ll have cereal, too, please,” Willow said, as Morgan grabbed a box of cereal from the cupboard and the almond milk from the refrigerator that she had bought. She brought them back to the table and filled her breakfast bowl.

Trina sat a bowl of milk and cereal in front of Willow.

The little girl pushed the bowl away from her and rolled her eyes dramatically. “I can’t eat this. I need Al-mon-d milk,” she said “almond” slowly, as she was reading it off the carton.

“Of course you do,” Trina said, as she slid the bowl over in front of Hank, and he dug right in.

“What’s al-mond milk?” Willow asked Morgan in a loud whisper.

Morgan struggled to hold back a laugh and caught her aunt doing the same thing out of the corner of her eye. “Almond milk is just like regular milk. It just has less calories, which is why I like it.”

“Yeah.” Willow nodded very seriously. “I need less calories, too.”

“Here you go.” Aunt Trina set a new bowl of cereal on the table and poured almond milk into it.

“Just in time for cereal!” Uncle Sam said way too cheerfully, as he entered the kitchen.

As he kissed his kids and wife good morning, Morgan studied him with a lump in her stomach. Her uncle’s dirty blond hair and blue eyes reminded her of her mom. Her mom used to tell Morgan stories of when she was young and the kids at school would call her and Sam “Ken and Malibu Barbie.” Their beachy blonde hair, blue eyes, and sun-kissed skin made them look like the fashion dolls.

Morgan ate her cereal in silence, as Sam interacted with the kids. She didn’t think his similar looks would make her miss her mom so much. His eyes reminded her so much of her. All three of them had the most intense blue eyes. Her mom had always told her that she got her beautiful blue eyes from her grandfather—her mom’s dad—and that they were a Morris trait.

“You still coming with me to the practice rink today? I know you’re anxious to find a job, and there’s someone I want you to meet. No time like the present, right?”

“Yeah, sure.” The lump took up residence in her gut. She looked down at her cereal, no longer hungry. She got up and dumped her cereal in the garbage disposal, and then refilled her coffee mug.

“Morgan, you okay?” Uncle Sam asked.

“Yeah, just not very hungry. Must be still adjusting to the time change.” Which wasn’t the issue at all. “I’m going to finish my coffee in my room while I get ready.”

“Mommy,” Willow said, as she started to push her bowl away. “I’m not hungry, either.”

“Too bad. Eat your cereal.” Trina moved the bowl back in front of her daughter. “Once you’re as old as Morgan, you can skip breakfast if you want, but until then, eat up.”

Morgan hurried out of the kitchen toward the stairs and could hear light footsteps behind her.

“Hey,” her aunt called in a soft voice, stopping Morgan at the bottom of the steps. “Morgan, are you okay? You seemed kind of far away in there.”

Waving off Trina’s concern, she answered quickly, “Yeah, fine.” But there was something about the kindness and concern in Trina’s eyes that made her keep talking. “It’s just been a really big adjustment, and some moments are more overwhelming than others.”

“Sure.” Aunt Trina took Morgan’s hand in hers. “I understand. And I know we can’t do anything to help you get through this. But just remember, this is your house, too. I don’t want you to think you have to ask before doing something. You are family, and what’s ours is yours.”

“Thanks. Just you guys supporting my move out here is enough.” She looked from her aunt to the staircase. “I’m going to go get ready now.”