Chapter 9 - I WENT BACK TO THE HOUSE ONCE
A year later, the house was sold.
I had not lived there since the hospital.
Emily asked whether I wanted professionals to pack everything.
Mostly, yes.
But there was one thing I wanted.
Grace’s ultrasound photographs.
They were in a small wooden box in the bedroom closet.
I went with Emily.
Broad daylight.
Two friends.
No heroics.
The house looked smaller.
That surprised me.
The hallway where Daniel once seemed enormous was just a hallway.
The kitchen where he monitored receipts was just a kitchen.
I did not enter the utility room.
I did not need to.
Upstairs, I found the wooden box.
Inside:
Ultrasound photographs.
The yellow hat’s matching blanket.
A handwritten list of baby names.
Grace at the top.
I sat on the floor.
Emily sat beside me.
Neither spoke.
When we left, I locked the door behind us.
May you like
For the last time.
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