Chapter 18 - THE ANNIVERSARY OF THE KITCHEN
Five years after Ethan found the twins in maid uniforms, the family gathered in the kitchen.
The marble remained white.
The island remained badly painted yellow.
Chloe prepared dinner.
Ava arrived from college carrying too many books.
Nathan brought wine.
Mrs. Bell brought photographs from the staff archive.
One picture showed the kitchen before Sophia.
Laura stood near the stove wearing flour across her cheek.
The twins were six.
Ethan held a burned pie.
Everyone was laughing.
Ava placed the photograph near the window.
“This is what the room was before.”
Chloe looked around.
“And now?”
Ethan answered.
“Whatever you decide it becomes.”
They ate together.
No one sat at the head of the table.
The chairs formed a circle around the island.
After dessert, Ethan removed a small box from the cabinet.
Inside was the key Chloe used to lock his phone away on the first night.
He had kept it.
“I found this yesterday.”
Chloe smiled.
“Does the drawer still work?”
“Yes.”
“Do you still need it?”
“Sometimes.”
He placed his phone inside the drawer.
Chloe locked it.
Ava checked the time.
“For how long?”
“Until breakfast.”
Nathan raised his glass.
“To technological progress.”
They laughed.
Later, Ava stood near the place where Sophia had slapped her.
She touched her cheek.
The bruise was long gone.
Ethan noticed.
“Do you want to leave?”
“No.”
Ava looked toward Chloe.
“I was remembering.”
“Does it still hurt?”
“Not like before.”
She thought carefully.
“It feels like something that happened to me.”
“Not something that still owns me.”
Ethan nodded.
That was all he had ever wanted after learning how deeply he failed them.
May you like
Not forgetting.
Ownership returned to the person who survived.
