Chapter 14: The Lake House
Chapter 14: The Lake House
I found it on a rainy Tuesday, the same kind of weather that had brought me home early that fateful night. It wasn't a massive, imposing estate, and it wasn't located in the ultra-wealthy, gated, snobby suburbs where Eleanor's judgmental friends lived.
It was a beautiful, two-story craftsman house nestled against a quiet, secluded lake on the edge of the city. It had warm oak floors, massive bay windows that let in floods of natural sunlight, and a sprawling, grassy backyard that sloped down to the water, anchored by a massive, ancient willow tree. It felt safe. It felt welcoming. It felt like Sarah.
I brought Maya to see it before I signed the final escrow papers, wanting her absolute approval.
She walked cautiously through the front door, her sneakers squeaking on the wood, looking around the bright, empty living room.
"Who lives here, Daddy?" she asked softly, her voice echoing slightly in the unfurnished space.
"We do," I said, dropping to one knee to meet her at eye level. "If you want it. This can be our new house. There are no fancy dining rooms you aren't allowed in. There are no expensive rugs you can't step on. There are no dark pantries. The whole house is yours, top to bottom."
Maya's eyes widened as she looked past me, staring through the large glass doors leading out to the lake. "Can I have a tire swing on that big tree?"
May you like
"You can have whatever you want, Maya. A swing, a treehouse, a dog. Whatever you want."
She threw her arms around my neck, hugging me fiercely, burying her face in my shoulder. "I love it, Daddy."
