Chapter 3: Childhood Memories Rewritten
The screen door banged shut behind Uncle Mark and Aunt Carol, their laughter fading into the warm summer evening as they trudged down the gravel path toward the dock. Thea watched from the kitchen window, her fingers tracing the condensation on the glass as the boat’s engine roared to life, cutting through the stillness of the lake. Behind her, the house exhaled—finally, *finally* empty.
“They’re gone,” she murmured, turning to find Rob leaning against the counter, his arms crossed over his chest. His hazel eyes darkened as they locked onto hers, the air between them thickening with something unspoken, something that had been simmering all summer.
Thea bit her lip, her pulse quickening. She could still hear the faint hum of the boat’s motor, the distant chatter of their parents as they waved from the water. But none of that mattered now.