Chapter 4

Things started looking up after that.

During the first month after the divorce papers came through, all my stuff at home started selling one item after another.

Mom was getting better, and the doctors said she might be waking up soon.

Two months after the divorce papers came through, Emily showed up.

She told me she and Benjamin were getting engaged soon and asked me to keep my distance from their lives.

*****

Mom woke up.

Sunlight streamed through the blinds, wrapping our little family of three in its gentle glow.

The shadow that had hung over us for three…