Kimberly
The soft crackle of the fireplace filled the room as I sat curled on the bed between my mother and Clarabelle, with my father in the armchair nearby, his elbows resting heavily on his knees.
It was well past midnight, but none of us wanted to sleep yet. There was too much to say, too many unspoken memories lodged between us.
I clutched the edge of my blanket a little tighter around my shoulders, glancing at their familiar faces—faces that had once been the foundation of my world and had, for a time, also been the reason for its collapse.
Clarabelle nudged me gently, her eyes glistening. “Kim… tell us everything. Please. We want to know. We need to know.”
I took a deep breath, letting the warm air of the fire soothe my trembling nerves. I didn’t even know where to begin.
H
