He accepted her arms; he couldn't not, no matter how torn he felt inside. In the end, he needed the mother he'd lost too badly to reject her. She was warm, solid, comforting -- within the circle of her arms, he felt like a child again.

"What am I supposed to do?" he asked softly, uncertain. To come into that house, so full of people -- he didn't know if he could stand the thought. But he didn't want to be separated from her.