Behind him, Lauren Hayes stood silently with the twins pressed tightly against her legs. Both boys were soaked from the sudden downpour, their small hands clutching her clothes as if letting go would mean falling into something dark and endless. These were children who never stopped moving, who usually bounced from one place to another with endless energy, yet now they were completely still, their eyes fixed on the house.
“Mr. Collins,” Lauren said quietly, her voice calm in a way that made Matthew’s stomach twist. “Your sister lives here, correct?”
“Yes,” he answered, swallowing hard. “She has been staying with us since her divorce. Almost eight months now.” He hesitated. “Why are you asking?”
Lauren knelt and brushed wet hair away from the boys’ foreheads. They leaned into her touch without hesitation, with a trust Matthew realized they had never shown him so completely. The realization struck him harder than he expected.
“Because this is where everything began,” Lauren replied.