May

I left her room and closed the door behind me. Outside in the hallway, I took a breath and composed myself.

“Where have you been, honey?” Richard asked as soon as he saw me.

“Checking on Celeste,” I replied with a sweet smile.

“Is she back?” Richard asked, holding my hand gently.

“Yes, she is back, honey,” I responded. “She’s a bit tired, so I let her rest early.”

I stayed with Richard for a while, making sure he didn’t suspect I was avoiding him. I really didn’t ...