Cricket Creek Bog Time heals all wounds

The way he prefaced his question with the assurance that she didn't have to answer made her a little nervous. How bad was it, Effie wondered, that he needed to say that first? She gave him a wary smile and nodded, fairly certain that she would give him the truth regardless of what he asked; she had no reason or desire to keep things from Rye. 

He continued, and then she understood why he was so hesitant. He wanted to know about her family—if something had happened to them. It was only natural that he would be curious about it, especially since there had been absolutely no sign of any of them at any point since she and Rye first met. Her expression turned sad, and she looked down. I don't know what happened to them, she told him. They're just gone. I haven't found a single trace of any of them, so I can only assume that they left while I was missing. They probably assumed she had been dead since she was never trained to be able to take care of herself—that wasn't what women needed to worry about in her family. I miss them, and I would never wish any harm on them, but I don't know that I would live with them now even if they turned up, she added hesitantly. Things were different where I grew up, and I've only just realized that it wasn't different in a good way. Her upbringing had only done her a disservice once she found herself suddenly on her own.