Chapter 3

By the time Julia returned home, blisters had risen across the burn on her hand. Her hollow expression frightened Mrs. Dawson.

"Ms. Fenner, what happened? That burn needs treatment. I'll call Colonel Warden." The housekeeper reached for the telephone.

Julia stopped her. "Please don't. Just put some burn ointment on it."

"You don't want to worry him, do you? He normally returns every six months, but this time it has only been two. He must have come because he heard you were ill. If he sees this burn, he'll be beside himself."

Mrs. Dawson brought the ointment and applied it carefully. "Am I pressing too hard? Does it hurt?"

Everyone believed Everett loved Julia completely. No one knew his devotion was divided between two women.

Julia touched her cheek with her uninjured hand and discovered it wet with tears. She wiped them away and forced a smile. "Thank you. It doesn't hurt."

After Mrs. Dawson left, Julia began packing and realized how little of Everett actually existed inside the house.

He stayed only briefly each year. A few uniforms remained in the closet, along with photographs of the two of them on her dresser. There was almost nothing else.

The warning signs had always been there. She had simply trusted him too completely to see them.

Everett did not return that night. Julia tossed until well after midnight before sleep finally came.

The next morning, noise in the living room woke her. Expecting Mrs. Dawson, she entered to find Lydia and Peter inside her home.

Peter stood on a chair reaching for a small wooden train on the cabinet, the only keepsake Julia still had from her parents.

"Don't touch that," Julia shouted.

The boy startled but refused to release it. Lydia lifted him down and placed him on the floor.

"Ms. Fenner, Peter and I will be staying here for a while." Lydia smiled, but no warmth reached her eyes.

Julia ignored her and walked directly to Peter. "Give it back."

He hid both hands behind him and lifted his chin. "I found it, so it's mine."

"You wouldn't fight a child over one little toy, would you? He's curious. If Everett were here, he would let his son have it. You already know Peter belongs to him, don't you?"

Julia gave Lydia one cold glance and reached for the train. Lydia understood from her silence that the secret was already exposed.

"So you truly know. Yet you still refuse to leave Everett. Today I'll show you who matters more to him." Lydia shoved Peter hard enough to send him to the floor, and the boy began screaming.

"What happened?" Everett appeared in the doorway carrying a suitcase. Seeing Peter on the floor, he crossed the room and lifted him at once.

"Everett, don't blame Ms. Fenner. This is our fault. I failed to teach Peter not to grab what belongs to someone else." Lydia snatched the train from his hands.

"Ms. Fenner, he's young and doesn't understand. Here."

Julia wanted only the keepsake and ignored Lydia's performance. As she reached for it, Lydia released the train before their hands met. It struck the floor and shattered.

It was the only object Julia's parents had left her.

She dropped to her knees and gathered the broken pieces. Splinters covered the floor, and there was no way to restore it.

"You attacked a small child over a wooden toy?" Everett asked coldly.

Julia rose and met his eyes. "A wooden toy? Everyone else may be ignorant, but you knew it was the only thing I had from my parents."

Everett faltered. Lydia wrapped both hands around his arm and filled her eyes with tears. "I didn't know it mattered so much. This is my fault and Peter's. We should never have come. Don't be angry with Ms. Fenner. We'll leave."

She pretended to turn away, but Everett caught her immediately. Guilt entered his eyes as he faced Julia.

"Peter is ill. Let them stay for a few days. Don't make this harder than it has to be. I'll build you another train. All right?"

Julia almost laughed, yet her eyes burned. "Fine. They can stay as long as they like. I'm leaving soon anyway."

She placed the fragments carefully inside a cloth bag and turned away. Everett seized her wrist and searched her face. "Where are you going?"