Julian came through the front door at ten past nine with his shoes on the wrong feet and his bottom lip pushed out."Mama." He walked straight into her legs and grabbed two fistfuls of her shirt, looking up. "My friend said something bad about you."Bella crouched down immediately. "What did he say?"Julian's face scrunched. "He said your name is on his mom's phone and he made a mean face." He pressed closer, tucking his head against her neck the way he did when something had unsettled him without him fully understanding why. "I didn't like it."Bella held him. Over his shoulder she caught Helena's face. Helena gave a small, tight nod.Meanwhile, Selena had been standing in the hallway the whole time, still in her coat, quietly watching. After a moment, she walked over and stopped beside Bella, gently placing one hand on her mother's arm and gripping it without saying a word.Bella gently pulled back from Julian and looked between them both, taking in his confused, slightly wounded th
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