Lacey stared over her head at the wall. Not even a blink. The contrast between the two was insane. Life versus death. Lila beaming with light. Lacey’s body bony and pale.
I swallowed. Pushed those thoughts aside before the tears came.
Lila didn’t seem to notice my struggle and ripped the paper bags from my hands like a wild animal on the hunt. Ethan and Dylan rushed in next, each giving Lacey a tight hug before diving toward the food.
“Careful!” I scolded as one of the bags ripped open. Napkins were scattered on the floor while they bickered over who got what. But they were already halfway to the TV room before I could say more.
Brian walked up from the basement with a laundry basket tucked under one arm. He looked tired.
“Are the blinds down in the TV room?” I asked.
He nodded.
“I’ll bring Lacey upstairs to rest for a bit,” I said.
Brian and Amanda exchanged glances. Then nodded.
Amanda stepped forward and reached for the laundry basket. “Let me do that.”
He held on. “What kind of man do you think I am? I can do laundry.”
“Let go. You’ll shrink everything.”
“No way.”
They went back and forth a few more times. It was so familiar. Almost like a married couple. Amanda always had that power over Brian. To soften him. Bring out his humor. As if he could finally breathe when she was in the room. They had gone to preschool together before Lacey met them both in kindergarten. Small-town stuff.
“Fine,” she said, finally letting him win. “I’ll cut up some fruit and veggies for the kids. They can’t just eat ice cream and fries.”
Brian headed upstairs. “That’ll make you enemy number one,” he called out.
“Only until the toys I ordered arrive tomorrow,” she called back with a smirk.
“You bought more?” he countered.
“Board games and books!” she shouted, then turned to me and said in a softer tone, “And a few other things.”
Amanda walked over, grabbed Lacey’s hand, and held it tight. And just like that, the smile disappeared. Her whole face dropped. Grief hit fast.
“I don’t know what else to do with the money Zach left me,” she said. “Might as well spend it on my family.”
I placed my hand on Lacey’s back. “I’ll take her upstairs and let her rest. I’ll feed her in bed. Then we’ll deal with whatever’s happening out there.”
But we all knew what was happening out there. There was nothing to figure out. We had become the big show in town.
Amanda gave a small nod and walked toward the fridge.
On my way to the stairs, I paused beside her and gently brushed a strand of golden hair from her pretty face.
“Sweetie … we love you.”
She didn’t turn. Just nodded, eyes fixed on whatever she was doing inside the fridge.
* * *
Later that evening, I turned on the TV. Lila and Ethan were upstairs, asleep, when Brian walked in from the hallway.
“Did Amanda leave?” I asked.
