Chapter 5
Daniel looked at Lauren.
“You told me she was fine.”
“She was fine.”
“She went to the hospital.”
“She came home.”
“Did you call me?”
Lauren looked away.
Daniel stood.
“Did you call me?”
Lauren’s voice sharpened.
“You were deployed. What was I supposed to do, panic you over every little thing?”
Daniel stared at her.
“My mother could have died.”
Lauren laughed once.
Defensive.
Ugly.
“Oh, please. She loves making herself the victim.”
Margaret flinched.
Daniel’s voice dropped.
“Say one more thing about her.”
Lauren stopped.
The house went silent.
Then Daniel noticed something in the corner of the kitchen.
A folded blanket on a chair.
A small plastic basket with medicine bottles.
Tissues.
Reading glasses.
His mother had not just been eating in the kitchen.
She had been living there.
Daniel turned slowly.
“Where is her room?”
Lauren’s face changed.
Margaret whispered, “Daniel, don’t.”
But he was already walking down the hallway.
He opened the guest room door.
Boxes.
Lauren’s boxes.
Designer shoes.
Seasonal decorations.
Unopened online orders.
Clothes covered in plastic.
No bed.
No dresser.
No photographs.
Behind him, Lauren said, “I needed storage space. Your mom didn’t mind the couch.”
Daniel turned.
“She slept on the couch?”
Lauren rolled her eyes.
May you like
“Sometimes.”
Read Part 6 to find out how long Margaret had been sleeping on the couch while Lauren smiled through Daniel’s calls.
