They...cannot...touch...her

I noticed it. Right there. It had all shifted.
New years day I was with my mum and dad at the annual family get together. This year it felt different. The togetherness wasn’t there.
With the so called ‘kids’ as well. They are noticeably older now. Craig is now 13 and I could sense the difference in him.
He was unwilling to talk. That childhood enthusiasm had evaporated.
Replaced with sarcasm.
One of the other kids reacted badly to my mum when she tried to hug him. I could see my mum struggle with this.
She then tried to hug him again but he was having none of it and she got more desperate. It was horrible to watch.
My ma and pa are extremely naïve.
I am in a lot of ways…but I know the rules.
They don’t.
I caught a late train to go see Nina afterwards.