apologies. She said Mariah pressured her. Caleb made it sound harmless. She loved me. She loved the kids.

But I understood the pattern.

Part 3:

She loved us most when her cards stopped working.

When we came home, the house felt different. Correctly sized. Vanessa’s boxes were gone. Caleb’s things were gone. Mariah’s clutter was gone.

That evening, the doorbell continue reading …