Mrs. Auburn’s light, genuine smile leaves her face, replaced with a look I have never seen on her before. Her relaxed demeanor goes rigid. Her once slumped posture is now as straight as one of the pencils in her hair. Her hand, once on my own, now clasps her other so hard her knuckles are white. Her eyes are narrowed like a cat's. Any love radiating off the woman has washed away like rain down a storm drain. She's cold, distant, and utterly closed off.

