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We sat in silence for a while after that, the cocaine burning through my veins, smoothing out the raw irritation Samantha had left behind.

Colin didn’t need to say more. Every conversation with him normalized what I was thinking, made the necessary decisions feel inevitable. He wasn’t just a cop who covered for me. He was my closest confidant. The one person I could drop the perfect husband and father act around.

When I finally left Colin’s, the restless haze had lifted. The drive home calmed me. When I arrived home, I slipped inside as quietly as I’d left, the door whispering shut behind me, and moved down the hallway toward the bedroom.

Samantha lay on her side with her back to my half of the bed. I stood over her for a long time, studying the familiar lines of her body in the faint moonlight filtering through the curtains.

If she wasn’t going to be the Samantha I used to have, then I would force her to become whatever I needed her to be.

Whatever kept the machine running.

Whatever served the family.

Chapter 35

Samantha

Seven Years Later

Ipulled into the pickup line at exactly 2:45. The private school lot buzzed with the ordinary chaos of school bells and shouting kids, but I spotted my boys right away.

Seth stood a little apart from the crowd near the flagpole, carrying himself like a small adult. His dark eyes scanned everything without hurry. His uniform shirt was tucked in perfectly, and his hair was combed. He noticed my car immediately and gave the smallest nod.

Luke came barreling out the side doors like a storm, shirt untucked, one shoelace dragging. He was laughing loudly, face bright with that chaotic energy. A teacher trailed after him looking exhausted.

I stepped out and opened the back door. “In you go, both of you.”

Seth climbed in silently, buckling himself in. Luke flung his backpack across the seat, nearly hitting his brother, and dropped in beside him.

“Rough day?” I asked.

Luke grinned wide. “They’re all mad at me again.”

Before I could answer, Seth’s teacher approached with the principal in tow. Both wore the careful, strained expressions I’d come to recognize.

“Mrs. Kincaid,” Mr. Thompson said. “Could we speak with you inside for a few minutes? The boys can wait in the library with supervision.”

I glanced back at them. Seth met my eyes. Luke was already kicking the seat in front of him.

“Go on,” I told them. “I’ll be right back.”

In the conference room Mrs. Crawford sat beside Mr. Thompson. Mr. Reynolds, Luke’s teacher, joined them, rubbing his temples.

Mrs. Crawford started gently. “Thank you for coming on short notice. We’ve been trying to manage things, but today’s incident with Luke requires a more formal conversation.”

“What happened?” I asked, folding my hands in my lap.

“Seth continues to be academically exceptional. His reading level is off the charts for his age, and his math reasoning is… well, it’s remarkable. But socially…” She hesitated. “He doesn’t engage with the other children. He doesn’t speak much. He’s not disruptive, but he’s very withdrawn, detached, almost.”

Mr. Thompson nodded. “We’re not suggesting he’s a problem. Quite the opposite. We believe he would benefit from an evaluation for gifted programs, perhaps some social skills support or counseling to help him connect.”

I felt a small swell of pride for Seth, quickly swallowed by the dread of what was coming next.

Mr. Reynolds leaned forward, looking worn out. “With Luke, the situation is different. He’s bright too, when he wants to be. Charming, even. But he’s impulsive. Today he punched another boy twice after an argument over a ball. The other boy needed to be sent to the nurse. This isn’t the first time. He doesn’t respect boundaries or authority. He seems to… enjoy the reactions he gets.”

“He’s seven,” I said quietly.

“We know,” Mrs. Crawford replied. “And we’ve tried everything: behavior charts, breaks, positive reinforcement. But we have to think about the safety of all the children. We can continue supporting Seth here. He’s quiet, he does his work, he’s not a risk to others. But Luke… we’re recommending a different environment. One equipped for more intensive behavioral support. We can provide referrals to excellent programs that might be a better fit.”