Chapter 161

• His small face crumpled as fat tears began to well in his eyes. “No! I wanna go with them!” he wailed.
• Before things could escalate further, Lavinia smoothly intervened, rising from her seat to cross the room and crouch down in front of the distraught little boy.
• "Hey now, none of that," she chided before wiping away the errant tears streaking his flushed cheeks. "It's okay, sweetie. If you want to go home with us tonight, you're more than welcome."