The call shook me to the core. I hadn't visited my hometown in two years due to Ava's age and Matthew's packed schedule. He wasn’t comfortable with me traveling alone with Ava, which was why I hadn't been back for so long.

I held the phone, feeling dazed. A wave of guilt washed over me.

Although I was the only daughter, I grew apart from my parents after college. I turned to them only in tough times, but I had neglected them in the past couple of years.

Assuming my parents were healthy, I car