I woke before dawn Friday and made coffee as George always had, far too strong, then carried it to the screened porch. The heating vent rattled beneath the floor as the furnace kicked on, and Cedar Lake lay gray beneath the clouds. Around seven, Owen came out wrapped in his blanket and sat beside me. Eventually, he asked whether he had done something wrong. I told him no, that grown-ups sometimes protect a home like a promise, and none of this was his fault. He nodded and watched a heron lift from the reeds.
The house was loud all day. Hannah slammed doors and made phone calls in the hallway, while Derek stacked boxes in the driveway. Near noon, Hannah stood in the kitchen doorway and said she had been humiliated. I looked at her and realized the conversation I had postponed was beginning. Click continue reading below for Part2
