Her face froze like I had just dropped a live grenade. Her eyes widened, staring at my figure and for a second, it looked like she wanted to say something in response.
Something big, some sort of explanation. But her lips locked shut, and the silence was so palpable I could hear both our breathing clearly.
I heaved a sigh of relief and pressed on, the words spilling out before I could stop them.
"Mom... What happened to him? Last I remember, one morning we ran out of milk. He said he was going to the convenience store to get a carton, and then... He never returned. I was five years old!".
I noticed her hands tremble slightly, and she clasped them tightly together, like she was trying to hold herself steady. I waited, my veins pumping seriously on anticipation, hoping for an answer... A reasonable one.
But, instead, she leaned forward, her voice soft but yet still firm as ever.
