At night, Claire stayed up after Daniel went to bed, the glow of her laptop spilling into the hallway. He heard the faint clicking of keys, then the drawer sliding shut when he stirred. When he asked what she was doing, she brushed it off as “work stuff.” The secrecy gnawed at him, transforming ordinary noises into sinister evidence.
The boys sensed her energy too. Ethan asked why Mom was “always smiling at nothing.” Leo demanded to know what she was hiding. Claire only laughed and changed the subject, ruffling their hair. Watching her, Daniel wondered bitterly, what is she hiding? The thought echoed, refusing to let him rest.