Chapter 3 - Shadows in the Kitchen
The kitchen was spotless, sterile, and entirely devoid of life. Gone were the mismatched coffee mugs, the garlic braids hanging from the pantry door, and the magnetic poetry on the refrigerator. Everything was locked away behind sleek, handleless white cabinets.
Kendra leaned against the marble island, watching Tessa fill the electric kettle.
“You’ve really changed things around here,” Tessa remarked casually, keeping her back turned to hide the suspicion burning in her eyes. “When did Bryce and you decide to take over the house management completely?”
“About a year ago, right after your father passed and Judith’s early-stage dementia diagnosis became official,” Kendra answered smoothly, though her tone carried a defensive edge. “It became too much for her to live alone. Bryce and I moved in to ensure her safety. It’s a round-the-clock job, Tessa. Easy for you to judge from your comfortable apartment five hours away, but you haven’t been here to see the decline.”
The guilt weaponized against her hit Tessa hard, but she refused to let it paralyze her. She turned around to face her sister-in-law.
“I offered to help move her to Richmond or hire professional round-the-clock nurses. Bryce insisted he and you could handle it.”
“Bryce wanted to preserve her dignity in her own home,” Kendra snapped, her mask slipping for a brief moment to reveal a flash of cold hostility. “And we are managing just fine. Now, if you’re only here for a flying visit, perhaps you should drop off the cake, say a quick hello to your mother, and head back before dark. The mountain roads get treacherous at night.”
She’s trying to evict me, Tessa realized. Kendra wanted her gone, and fast.
“It’s my mother’s birthday. I’m staying for dinner,” Tessa said firmly, leaving no room for argument. She grabbed two mugs from the cupboard. “I’ll take Mom her tea. You stay here and relax, Kendra.”
Before Kendra could protest, Tessa poured the steaming water and walked briskly back toward the den. But when she pushed the door open, her heart skipped a beat.
May you like
Judith was no longer sitting in the chair. The navy coat lay discarded in a crumpled heap on the floor, and the side window leading out to the overgrown backyard was cracked open.
Panic surged through Tessa. She dropped the mugs, the ceramic shattering against the floorboards, and rushed to the window. Out in the fading twilight, she caught a glimpse of her mother stumbling toward the old tool shed, her frail silhouette shivering violently against the freezing wind.
