Chapter 6
Lily asked to see Nora as soon as she heard Nora was coming home.
We went to Nora’s apartment with flowers and a picture Lily had drawn. Marcus drove us because my hands were still shaking too much to trust myself in traffic.
Nora opened the door using a walking boot and one crutch.
Lily stopped a few feet away.
“Are you hurt because I didn’t hear you sooner?”
Nora’s face changed.
“No, little bird. You heard me when nobody else did.”
Lily rushed into her arms. Nora held her carefully, one hand against the doorframe to keep her balance.
Inside, I told Nora what Celeste had said about her leaving.
“I thought something like that might happen,” Nora said. “I’m sorry Lily had to hear it.”
“You didn’t do anything wrong,” I told her.
She looked down.
“I knew Celeste had become controlling. I should have told you more clearly.”
“You did tell me you were worried about Lily’s schedule. I dismissed it.”
“You were trying.”
“I need to do better than trying.”
Lily laid her drawing on Nora’s table. It showed the three of us in the hallway, with an enormous yellow sun above the house.
“I made the floor closed again,” she explained. “So nobody can go down there.”
Nora looked at me. I had already arranged to have the passage secured after the police finished their work. For now, the hatch was locked and guarded by an alarm only I controlled.
“We’ll make sure it’s safe,” I said.
On the drive home, Lily asked whether Celeste would be angry when we did not marry.
“She might be,” I said. “That isn’t your responsibility.”
“Was she trying to be my new mom?”
“I think she wanted that. She also did things that hurt you and Nora. I should have seen them sooner.”
“Mom wouldn’t take Nora’s scarf away.”
“No.”
Lily watched the road for a while.
“You can be my dad all by yourself,” she said.
I swallowed hard.
“I can. Uncle Marcus and Aunt Lena help us too. And we have people who love you.”
“Like Nora?”
“Yes.”
“And Mrs. Flores?”
“Very much.”
She nodded, satisfied for the moment.
Back at the house, Mrs. Flores met us at the door. She had worked for my family since before Lily was born. I asked her to sit with me after Lily went to play.
“Did you notice anything I missed?” I asked.
She folded her hands.
“Celeste started keeping a list of who visited Lily. She said it was for safety.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I asked her whether you knew. She said you had requested it. I should have asked you directly.”
I thought about how many people Celeste had told that I agreed.
“From now on, ask me,” I said. “Even if someone says I’ve already approved it.”
Mrs. Flores nodded.
“She also had the locks changed on the old garden gate. The men came while you were away.”
“Do you know why?”
“She said Lily wandered.”
Lily had never used that gate without an adult. I asked Mrs. Flores to show me. The gate was locked, and its new key was missing from the household ring.
I called the security company. They confirmed Celeste had requested access changes under the authority I had given her for renovation work.
I canceled that authority and asked for a complete list of every change she had made.
The list arrived that afternoon.
She had changed the garden gate, the panel sensor, and the code for the garage. She had also requested a separate access code for the side door.
It had been used twice on Thursday night, while Nora was trapped below the hall.
“By whom?” I asked.
The company could not tell from the code alone. Peter said he had not gone to the house that night. Celeste had told the police she was home with me.
I checked my calendar.
I had been in Boston for a business meeting. She had known I would not return until Friday.
I sent the travel details to the officer.
On Saturday, the police returned Lily’s backpack and Amelia’s scarf. They kept the documents and Nora’s phone while the investigation continued.
Lily pressed the scarf against her face.
“It still smells like my closet,” she said.
“I’m glad it’s back.”
She asked if she could sleep with it. I told her she could.
That night, I heard her crying through the wall. I went into her room and sat at the edge of her bed.
“I thought Mom’s things were disappearing because I was forgetting her,” she whispered.
I pulled her into my arms.
“You don’t have to hold every object to remember Mom.”
“I know. But I wanted the scarf.”
“Then the scarf belongs right here.”
She cried against me until she fell asleep.
The next morning, our attorney called. The police had found a set of papers in the storage unit concerning guardianship of Lily.
May you like
My name appeared at the bottom again.
This time, the signature looked much more like mine.
