Chapter 9 - NO MORE WALLS
Six months later. The autumn sun shone brightly over the old Carter house. I stood on the back porch, holding a cup of coffee, watching the yard. Lily and Sophie were chasing a golden retriever puppy through the fallen apple leaves. Their laughter echoed clearly, unimpeded by drywall or secrets. My mother was gone. After recovering from her minor heart attack, she was indicted on multiple counts of fraud and kidnapping. She took a plea deal that placed her in a secure federal facility. I hadn't visited her. I never would. Emily stepped out onto the porch, wrapping her arms around my waist. “They’re getting along so well,” she said, resting her chin on my shoulder. “They are,” I smiled. I looked toward the property line. We had torn down the old wooden fence that separated our yard from the neighboring lot. Michael emerged from his back door—the house I had purchased for him using the restored trust fund. He was wearing a flannel shirt, his scars fully visible in the sunlight, completely unbothered. He waved at me, holding up the silver compass before slipping it into his pocket. The passage inside Lily’s room had been sealed up and painted a warm, bright yellow. There were no more ghosts in our home. No more hungry girls in the walls. Only family, living right where they belonged. In the light.
