After James tucked little Nina into bed, he turned around and saw Briony carrying little Mario in her arms. "What happened?" he asked quietly.


    "I''m going to lie down with the kids for a while." Briony''s voice was soft, her face giving nothing away.


    James recognized it for what it was a way to avoid everything.


    In the end, he said nothing more. He stepped out of the room, gently pulling the door closed behind him.


    Briony settled little Mario onto the bed, theny down beside her two children. "Mom''s here. Let''s rest together, okay?"


    Little Mario closed his eyes, drifting off almost instantly.


    Briony watched her children''s peaceful faces, then let her own eyes slip shut.


    Outside, the wind and rain continued unabated.


    Inside, the room was silent, broken only by the steady, even breathing of the children.


    With her eyes closed, Briony couldn''t help but rey the man''sst words in her mind-


    [Bryn, do you still resent me?]


    Did she?


    She hadn''t answered him.


    Because, truthfully, she didn''t know the answer herself.


    ...


    When Briony woke again, the rain had eased and the sky had brightened a little.


    She nced at the clock. Two o''clock.


    The children woke up in much better spirits after their nap.


    That was the thing about kids-their moods changed as quickly as the weather.


    Taking one child''s hand in each of hers, Briony led them down the stairs.


    Marlene spotted them and hurried over. "Awake atst! I went up around lunchtime, but you three were so sound asleep I didn''t have the heart to wake you."


    They really had slept a long time.


    "Probably the rainy weather," Briony replied. "Iy down with them and must''ve dozed off without realizing."


    "What do you want to eat? I''ll whip something up right now."


    "Just some noodles, please."


    "You got it!"


    Little Nina and little Mario were already off, happily ying with their toys.


    Briony, still groggy from sleep-her neck


    fand her head pounding et


    to the front door and


    looked up at the sky.


    The rain hade out of nowhere and had been falling for hours, showing no sign of stopping.


    Suddenly, she remembered her phone was still in her purse, which she''d left on the couch.


    She retrieved her bag and fished out the phone, only to see multiple missed calls -Cedric rke, Carl, Lorna.


    So many missed calls, she wasn''t even sure who to call back first.


    Just then, her phone vibrated again-Cedric rke.


    Briony stared at his name on the screen, hesitated, and let it ring until it went to voicemail.


    He called again. And again. Briony didn''t answer.


    Finally, the battery died and the phone shut off.


    She slipped the dead phone back into her bag.


    A little whileter, Marlene finished making the noodles. Briony called the children


    to wash their hands ande eat.


    Hungry and well-behaved, little Nina and little Mario washed up and t their


    ts at the table,


    into


    à food. Content belong to


    els


    Briony sat opposite, watching them eat. Her own bowl sat untouched the noodles slowly clumping together as she picked at them without much appetite.


    After lunch, Briony stayed home with the kids.


    She didn''t go out the whole afternoon. Her phone remained dead, uncharged.


    Marlene and Carol watched her from across the room, exchanged a look, and went about their own business.


    James had taken a call at lunchtime and rushed out. He still hadn''te back.


    Carol had a pretty good guess-something must have happened to Stewart.


    It was nearly dark when James finally returned.


    He came in from outside, his steps hurried, his face drawn and serious.


    Briony met his eyes.


    She was calm, didn''t ask a single question.


    But James could tell-she already knew.


    "Bryn." His voice was heavy. "The car''s totaled. The police need you toe


    down to the station."