Rena froze at Abby's words, unsure what to say or do. Her back stiffened and she opened her mouth as though to speak but no sound came out. She was so stunned that any witty retort she might have ordinarily snapped back with died, half-formed in her mind. She had thought they were doing better, she had thought they were making progress. Apparently, she had thought wrong.
But what could she even say? How could she say anything to that without making another fight, something she had promised herself she wouldn't do? And so she stared dumbfounded as Abby began putting her things away to go back to the kitchen.
"It's not like I did it to hurt you," she whispered, unable to trust her voice do anymore. Even if she would never admit it, Abby's words stung. "If it's what you want, I won't go near your baby." She had just wanted to help, she had wanted to show that she was sorry for how she had treated Abby when she arrived but, like everything else she did lately, it seemed like she had done it all wrong.