Chapter 148

The house felt different after his father left.

Not tense.

Not heavy.

Just reflective.

As if the walls themselves had absorbed something and were still deciding what to do with it.

Daniel moved through the next few days more quietly than usual. Not withdrawn—just thoughtful. He lingered longer during bedtime stories. Sat a little closer during dinner. Watched the children with a kind of careful attention that felt new.

On Thursday evening, while she loaded the dishwasher, ...