He’s thinner. So much thinner than the last time I saw him. The sharp planes of his face have turned hollow; his eyes, once steel-gray and alive, are now shadowed and sunken. There’s a roughness to him—the overgrown hair, the unshaven jaw—that speaks of someone who hasn’t cared for himself in a long time.
My heart sinks. It’s as if our roles have reversed.
Months ago, it was me who looked like that. Drained, sleepless, trying to hold together the pieces of a life that had already fallen apart.
He clears his throat, and I realize I’ve just been standing there, staring.
“Ceci—Cecily,” he says, his voice uncertain. “How are you?”
I pull myself together and step away from the doorway.
“I’m fine. Do you... do you want to come in?”
His eyes flick toward the door behind me, then away.
“N-no,” he stammers. “No, that won’t be necessary. I just need a minute of your time.”
I nod toward the seating area, and he follows me.
Colin sits on the edge of the cushioned rattan chair, tense and upright, while I take the swinging chair across from him.
This piece of furniture came with the house.
I almost replaced it, but I couldn’t. There’s something comforting about the worn edges, the faint creak when the wind moves through.
This house was a true find.
At first, I thought it would be impossible to find something in the same area, I didn’t want to disrupt the kids’ lives any more than I already had. I also wanted a place with a pool, they’ve always loved swimming. Lily—my realtor and, at this point, a part-time miracle worker—found this place barely half an hour from where we used to live. It’s even closer to Ethan’s school.
When the kids came to see it, we all knew right away. It felt like a fresh start.
It’s smaller, yes, but cozier. Ours.
The house has five bedrooms and a small office where I can write in peace. There’s a spacious dining room for family dinners and a large kitchen bathed in light, its windows opening to the backyard. Outside, the pool and barbecue area sit side by side, framed by a narrow garden along the left side of the house.I have no idea what to do with the flower beds—I’ve never had a green thumb—so I’ll probably just hire someone to plant something simple that can grow on its own.
“I bought a place,” Colin says suddenly, pulling me out of my thoughts. “A penthouse. The realtor called to let me know that after weeks of negotiations, the previous owner was finally ready to close the deal. The only time he could fit me in was when I was supposed to pick up Alicia. That’s why I couldn’t go.”
“Oh,” I say, taken aback. I hadn’t realized he’d been looking for something new. I assumed he’d move back into the other house once we left.
“It’s not far,” he continues, his gaze fixed on the coffee table instead of me. “Maybe twenty minutes from here. I told Alicia about it, but she didn’t seem interested. Even when I asked if she wanted to pick out things for her new room, she just said,‘Maybe one day.’”
My heart aches for both of them. They were always so close. Like me and my—no. I won’t go there.
“With time, it’ll get better,” I say evenly. “At first, she barely spoke to anyone. Therapy is helping.”
Colin nods slowly.
“I liked what she did with her hair,” he says after a pause, a smile tugging at his lips as he looks at me. “When I told her that the other day, it was the first time she’s smiled at me since... since that day. Just a small one. But it’s a start.”
I smile at the memory. Alicia bursting through the door last Friday, all determination and drama, announcing she wanted to dye her hair pink.
I knew better than to say no outright. That kind of defiance—at her age, and with all the sudden changes—can so easily turn reckless. So we negotiated.
A few inches at the ends. Temporary color only. At the salon, the stylist used a tinted mask, no bleach. It wasn’t quite theshade she’d imagined, but she liked it anyway. Said at least it wasn’t“like all the other girls.”
“Ethan has a room in the penthouse too,” Colin says, swallowing hard, his gaze dropping again. “If he ever wants to see it, I can leave the keys with you. I don’t need to be there. There’s a movie room, a rooftop terrace... an indoor pool.”
I grip the arm of my chair.
