"Oooh, look at her!"
"Now look at that, ain't she precious."
"Show 'em' what your granny taught you, little shit."
"Mom, I don't know what you showed her, but please don't teach her anything else..."
Abaddon could only halfway hear his family's jubilation.
A blank stare seemed to be permanently affixed to his face. Most everything he heard in the background turned to white noise.
"Honey.. Honey!"
Valerie flicked Abaddon on his nose, and he quickly broke out of his fugue state.
"Sorry, what..?"
Valerie hissed at her husband. "Your daughter is trying to show off her new backpack. Be a little more present for her."
Abaddon finally remembered what he was doing here in the first place.
Odessa was strutting around the room rather proudly, showing off the brightly colored bookbag that she had been given for her entrance into big girl school.
She had sufficiently captivated the attention of almost everyone in the house, forcing them to fawn all over her.
