Clare hesitated. Daniel didn’t. “Just until things level out,” he said gently. Eleanor agreed. She always had. It was Eleanor who introduced Brooke—not as family, but as help. A trained nurse she knew. Temporary. Calm. Professional. Brooke fit into the house quietly.
She tracked medications, joined Clare at appointments, kept careful notes in a small leather notebook. Clare found the structure reassuring. Her health steadied. Daniel seemed lighter too. More relaxed. The house felt balanced again. Then her father called.