Month: December 2025

CHAPTER 33: MATT The Whitaker driveway came up fast through the rain. I took the turn too hard and the truck slid on wet gravel, tires spinning before they caught and held. Two vehicles sat in front of the house—Sam Whitaker’s Ford and another I’d seen around town but didn’t recognize. Light spilled from every

CHAPTER 32: ELENA Ididn’t move. Carol Reeves stood on my father’s porch, soaked to the bone, asking for my dead mother. “Carol.” I found my voice. “It’s Elena. Come inside.” She looked at me and something flickered. Confusion. Then a smile, hesitant and relieved. “Elena. Oh, thank God.” She stepped forward and nearly collapsed. I

CHAPTER 31: ELENA The storm everyone had been talking about was finally rolling in. I’d been nervous all day. Not about Caleb, but about Dad meeting Caleb. About whether they’d get along, whether Dad would approve, whether this dinner would feel as right as everything else had. The weekend had been hard. We’d talked through

CHAPTER 30: MATT Thursday morning came gray and heavy, the kind of sky that promised rain by evening. I cracked eggs into a pan while Dad read the paper at the kitchen table. Mom sat in her usual chair, staring at nothing. The weather forecast on the radio called for severe storms overnight. Wind gusts

CHAPTER 29: ELENA The grocery store was busy for a Saturday afternoon. I’d spent the night at Caleb’s. Woken up in his bed, sunlight streaming through the windows, his arm around me. We’d had coffee on the porch, talked about nothing important, and then I’d gone home to shower and change. Now it was back

CHAPTER 28: ELENA It had been raining all day. By the time I locked up at seven, the clinic smelled like wet dog and I was soaked through just from running between the building and my truck three times to grab supplies. My phone buzzed as I started the engine. Caleb. Power’s out. But I’ve

CHAPTER 26: ELENA Dad’s porch light was on when I pulled up Thursday evening. Daisy saw the house and started whining before I’d even turned off the engine. “Yeah, I know. We’re here.” I opened the door and she bolted, bounding up the porch steps to where Dad was already waiting. He crouched down and

CHAPTER 25: MATT Ineeded wood stain. Dad’s porch railing was rotting in places, and I’d promised to fix it this weekend. Something to do with my hands that had a clear beginning and end. The hardware store was quiet for a Saturday afternoon. Just a couple of old-timers by the register talking about the weather,

CHAPTER 24: ELENA “Hold it steady.” Caleb’s voice was low, right behind me. I held the cabinet door in place while he marked where the hinges would go, his pencil moving with precision. “Like this?” “Yeah. Perfect.” He stepped back, examined the angle. “You’re good at this.” “I’m just holding things.” “You’re doing it right.