Chapter 14 - The Door Luca Wouldn't OpenThe therapy room was painted pale yellow.
There were shelves of wooden animals, cushions shaped like clouds, and a low table covered in crayons.
Dr. Naomi Brooks sat on the carpet with Luca, building a tower of blocks.
Claire waited nearby.
Daniel sat in a chair by the window.
It was their second family session.
Dr. Brooks was a licensed child psychologist experienced in helping young children process frightening events.
She did not ask Luca to describe the broken vase in detail.
Instead, she invited him to play.
Luca stacked four blocks.
Then he placed a small wooden figure beside the tower.
"That's Daddy," he said.
Dr. Brooks nodded.
"Where is Daddy going?"
Luca moved the figure toward another block.
"He's mad."
"What does mad look like?"
Luca pushed the figure against the tower.
The blocks fell.
He flinched at the sound.
Daniel instinctively moved forward.
Dr. Brooks raised a hand slightly, signaling him to remain seated.
Luca stared at the blocks.
"Too loud," he whispered.
Dr. Brooks lowered her voice.
"That surprised you."
Luca nodded.
She waited.
After a moment, he began rebuilding.
"Can Daddy help?" Daniel asked softly.
Luca looked at him.
For a long moment, the boy said nothing.
Then he nodded.
"But gentle."
Daniel sat on the carpet.
"Very gentle."
Together, they rebuilt the tower.
After the session, Dr. Brooks spoke privately with both parents while Luca played under supervision in an adjoining room.
"He's showing signs of stress associated with the incident," she explained. "He's become more sensitive to loud sounds and sudden movements."
Daniel looked down.
"Will that go away?"
"Children are resilient, but recovery depends partly on what happens next."
Claire asked, "What should we do?"
"Keep routines predictable. Avoid arguing in front of him. Allow him to express discomfort without making him responsible for an adult's feelings."
She looked toward Daniel.
"And don't repeatedly ask him what he witnessed. He needs room to process his experience without pressure."
Daniel nodded.
"I understand."
"One more thing," she said. "A meaningful apology matters, but so does consistent behavior over time."
Daniel looked through the glass toward his son.
"How do I make him trust me again?"
Dr. Brooks answered gently.
"You don't make him. You become someone he can safely choose to trust."
That evening, Daniel returned to Briar House alone.
He found Helena in the breakfast room with two place settings.
"Where's Luca?" she asked.
"With Claire."
"Again?"
"Yes."
Helena placed down her fork.
"You're allowing her to take over."
Daniel sat opposite her.
"We're reviewing the parenting schedule."
His sister's eyes narrowed.
"Because of Sofia."
"Because of what I did."
"You keep speaking as though you've committed some unforgivable crime."
Daniel studied her.
"You saw me strike a woman. And your only concern has been whether I might face consequences."
Helena stiffened.
"That's unfair."
"Is it?"
She looked away.
Daniel continued.
"Luca is frightened. Claire is frightened for him. Sofia was injured. Those are facts, Helena."
"She shouldn't have touched the child."
Daniel pushed his chair back.
"Stop saying that."
His voice was firmer than he intended.
Helena flinched.
Daniel noticed.
He paused, took a breath, and lowered his tone.
"That rule was never meant to prevent someone from protecting Luca from immediate danger."
Helena gave him a cold look.
"You agreed to it."
"I agreed to clearer boundaries after Luca started wandering into the kitchen. I never authorized anyone to ignore an emergency."
She said nothing.
Daniel stood.
"I won't let that rule become an excuse for hurting someone."
Helena watched him leave.
Upstairs, Daniel entered Luca's bedroom.
The room was quiet.
He opened the wardrobe to find a sweater Claire had requested.
Among the folded clothes lay a small drawing.
It showed a dining table, a broken shape on the floor, and four people.
Luca had drawn himself beside a woman in gray.
A taller figure stood nearby with an enormous red hand.
A fourth figure was beside the table.
Daniel looked at the drawing for a long time.
Then he placed it carefully back where he found it.
He did not photograph it for evidence.
He did not ask Luca to explain it.
The picture was not proof of how the vase fell.
It was proof of something else.
His son had carried the memory upstairs with him.
Daniel folded the sweater and closed the wardrobe.
Downstairs, his phone began ringing.
It was Mara Patel.
"I've completed the first round of vendor analysis," she said.
Daniel sat on the bed.
"What did you find?"
"Hearthbridge was added to the company's approved supplier list in January 2025."
"Who approved it?"
"The electronic record identifies Lydia Cross."
"Of course."
"But that's not the most concerning part."
Daniel gripped the phone.
"Then what is?"
"The vendor's contact information includes a private mailing address that appears in another set of company records."
"Whose address?"
May you like
Mara paused.
"Helena's."
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