ANMELDENThe first morning without a lawyer calling felt strangely unfamiliar.
Marielle didn't notice it at first.She only realized something was different when she'd finished her tea, packed Theo's lunch, wiped jam off the kitchen table twice because he'd somehow managed to get it everywhere except his toast, and looked at the clock.Eight thirty.Usually by then someone's phone had rung.Usually there was an email waiting.A court update.Marielle knew, because she’d checked twice, and the second time she’d stood in the doorway longer than she needed to, just watching him breathe the way children do when they are finally fully asleep, heavy and unguarded, one foot sticking out from under the blanket like it had given up trying to stay warm, his dinosaur tucked under his arm as if it had been assigned that job and took it seriously, and the book Odette had told him a hundred times not to leave open face-down was still there beside his pillow like a small act of rebellion he would never remember in the morning.She stepped inside anyway, careful not to make the floorboards complain, and picked the book up, running her thumb over the bent pages with a quiet sigh.“You’re going to ruin the spine,” she murmured, even though he was already too far gone to hear her, and she knew it, and still said it like it mattered.She placed it on the bedside table, straightened the corner of his blanket, and gently tucked his foot back u
Marielle stabbed her thumb with the needle. Third time.She looked at the bead of blood, sucked it off without thinking, and went back to Theo's blazer. One button. That was the whole job. Fifteen minutes in and she still hadn't finished it."You've done that three times," Odette said. She didn't look up from her crossword."I know.""You usually finish that in five minutes.""I know."Odette put the paper down. "What's on your mind?"Marielle threaded the needle again. Got it through the fabric this time. Stopped there."If someone kept getting hurt because of you," she said, "wouldn't the kind thing be to leave?"Odette waited a beat. "Who's getting hurt?"No answer. Marielle held the blazer up, saw the button was crooked anyway, cut the thread and started over."I've lived a long time," Odette said. "People don't usually ask imaginary questions."Theo came through the door just after three, loud and cold from outside. He was starving. He'd had lunch four hours ago. That was ages ag
The first morning without a lawyer calling felt strangely unfamiliar.Marielle didn't notice it at first.She only realized something was different when she'd finished her tea, packed Theo's lunch, wiped jam off the kitchen table twice because he'd somehow managed to get it everywhere except his toast, and looked at the clock.Eight thirty.Usually by then someone's phone had rung.Usually there was an email waiting.A court update.A reporter.Another document that seemed to require three signatures and two sleepless nights.This morning there was nothing.She checked her phone again.Still nothing.Odette looked over from the stove."You're waiting for bad news."Marielle looked up."Am I that obvious?""Only to people who've known you long enough.""I didn't realize I kept checking.""You've checked six times."
The first morning without a lawyer calling felt strangely unfamiliar.Marielle didn't notice it at first.She only realized something was different when she'd finished her tea, packed Theo's lunch, wiped jam off the kitchen table twice because he'd somehow managed to get it everywhere except his toast, and looked at the clock.Eight thirty.Usually by then someone's phone had rung.Usually there was an email waiting.A court update.A reporter.Another document that seemed to require three signatures and two sleepless nights.This morning there was nothing.She checked her phone again.Still nothing.Odette looked over from the stove."You're waiting for bad news."Marielle looked up."Am I that obvious?""Only to people who've known you long enough.""I didn't realize I kept checking.""You've checked six times."
The lights went out halfway through dinner.Not a flicker.Not the sort of brief power cut everyone pretended not to notice.Everything simply disappeared.The refrigerator fell silent.The television blinked black.Somewhere outside, wind rattled the bare branches hard enough to make them scrape against the windows.Theo looked around the dining room."...Was that me?"Grayson set his fork down."I certainly hope not.""I didn't touch anything.""I know.""So..."Theo lowered his voice."...are we doomed?"Marielle laughed."I think we'll survive."Lightning flashed beyond the windows, turning the garden white for the space of a heartbeat. A second later thunder rolled across the house, low and heavy enough to make the old glass tremble.Odette appeared in the doorway carrying two lanterns."I wondered ho
Chapter 49 Birthday Marielle woke to the sound of whispering outside her bedroom door. Not loud. Not even proper whispering, really. The sort children do when they believe lowering their voice by half an inch makes them invisible. "...She's still asleep." "We have to wait." "But it's taking forever." She smiled before she'd even opened her eyes. A soft knock followed. Then another. "Marielle?" "I'm asleep," she called. The door eased open anyway. Theo poked his head through the gap, hair sticking out in every direction, dressed before anyone else in the house. He looked so hopeful that she couldn't keep pretending. "I knew you weren't." "You caught me." "I've been awake for ages." "What time is it?"







