Chapter 7 - What Maren Needed to Hear
Bennett recovered faster than anyone expected.
Within days, his temperature stabilized.
His appetite returned.
Soon he was sleeping peacefully against Maren’s chest.
But Maren did not recover as quickly.
The first night after leaving the hospital, Everett found her standing in front of the bedroom door.
She was staring at the lock.
“Maren?”
She turned.
“I know we’re safe.”
He waited.
“But every time a door closes…”
Her voice disappeared.
Everett walked toward her.
“You don’t have to explain.”
“I keep hearing Audra turning that key.”
Everett removed the lock from the bedroom door the next morning.
Then he removed every unnecessary interior lock in the house.
Celeste would never understand the gesture.
To Everett and Maren, it meant everything.
One evening, Maren asked:
“Do you hate them?”
Everett thought carefully.
“I don’t know.”
“Your mother?”
“I hate what she did.”
“And Audra?”
Everett looked away.
“She knew better.”
Maren nodded.
Everett reached for her hand.
“But none of that matters as much as what happens next.”
“What happens next?”
“We leave.”
Maren stared at him.
“The house?”
“The house.”
“The Langford estate?”
“Yes.”
“But you grew up here.”
Everett looked around the enormous bedroom.
“My childhood isn’t inside these walls.”
He thought of Bennett beside the window.
“You were terrified here.”
He looked at Maren.
“So was our son.”
“That is what this house means to me now.”
Maren squeezed his hand.
“Where would we go?”
May you like
Everett smiled.
“Anywhere you can breathe.”
