“MOMMY, WHAT’S THAT NOISE?”
A small voice came from behind me.
My daughter stood in the hallway rubbing her eyes.
“What’s happening?”
I forced myself not to break down.
“Go back to your room.”
She looked toward the window.
“Mom?”
“Wake your brothers and sister.”
I kept my voice calm.
“Stay together upstairs.”
“I’ll handle it.”
She hesitated.
Then obeyed.
I watched her leave.
And something inside me changed.
Every apology.
Every complaint about my decorations.
My roses.
My children.
Every time I had made myself smaller just so Marlene wouldn’t create another problem—
all of it ended at that window.
I grabbed my phone.
Then went outside.
