“She should ask.”
Andrew felt the sentence.
“Yes.”
“She should have.”
He stood.
“So should I.”
Caroline heard the knock.
She did not answer.
Andrew knocked again.
“Can I come in?”
“No.”
Fair.
He remained outside.
“I talked to Sophie.”
Silence.
“Margaret showed her the memory box.”
Caroline opened the door.
“What?”
Andrew’s face told her enough.
“Which box?”
“Hannah’s.”
Caroline stepped backward.
“The one you said wasn't ready.”
“Yes.”
“The one with the videos.”
“Yes.”
“How many?”
“Four.”
Caroline stared.
“When?”
“Saturday.”
Caroline laughed in disbelief.
“Of course.”
Andrew entered only after she moved aside.
“She gave Sophie the locket because Hannah recorded a message specifically saying it was for her.”
Caroline sat on the bed.
“I knew it.”
“No.”
“You thought it.”
“Same result.”
Andrew shook his head.
“Not really.”
She glared.
He sat in the chair by the window rather than beside her.
Good choice.
“I owe you an apology.”
Caroline looked toward him.
“For which part?”
He accepted the hit.
“For texting you to take care of something emotionally loaded and then acting shocked when it became emotionally loaded.”
She stared.
“I should have handled it myself this morning.”
“Yes.”
“I should have explained what the locket meant.”
“You didn't know.”
“I knew enough.”
Caroline looked away.
Andrew continued.
“And when I came in, I saw Sophie crying and the necklace in your hand.”
“I went straight to worst-case interpretation.”
“Yes.”
“I’m sorry.”
Caroline swallowed.
“That is not the part I’m angriest about.”
“What is?”
She looked at him.
“Your entire family knows more about my house than I do.”
Andrew frowned.
“What?”
“Hannah’s mother has boxes.”
“Hannah has videos.”
“Sophie has watched them.”
“There are birthday letters.”
“Wedding messages.”
“Jewelry.”
“You all know.”
“I live here.”
“And I find out because a seven-year-old is on the floor screaming that I stole her mother.”
Andrew stared.
Caroline’s eyes filled.
“I am not asking to control Hannah.”
“I am not asking you to throw her things away.”
“I am asking not to be the only adult in this family expected to live gracefully beside a ghost while everyone else gets secret rules.”
Andrew looked down.
She continued.
“Your daughter says something Hannah liked, I smile.”
“Margaret excludes me, I understand because grief.”
“You call Hannah ‘Mom,’ I understand because Sophie.”
“You keep boxes somewhere else because you cannot handle them, I understand.”
“Then when one of those hidden things explodes in my hand, I’m suddenly the adult who should have known better.”
Andrew’s face tightened.
“You did tell her she couldn't have it because she was misbehaving.”
Caroline laughed.
“Yes.”
“I was wrong.”
“I said I was wrong.”
“I will tell Sophie I was wrong again.”
“But I need you to understand how I got there.”
He nodded.
“I do.”
“No.”
Caroline shook her head.
“You are already moving toward fixing.”
“I’m trying not to.”
“Then sit.”
He sat.
They stayed quiet.
Caroline eventually said:
“I was jealous.”
Andrew looked up.
She hated the sentence.
“Of Hannah.”
He said nothing.
Caroline continued.
“That feels disgusting.”
“No.”
“Don't rescue me.”
Andrew stopped.