Chapter 14 - The Sister at the DoorRebecca came to Laura's house on Sunday afternoon.

She did not announce herself.

She parked across the street, walked to the front porch, and stood before the door for almost five minutes.

Inside, Sophie was drawing at the kitchen island.

Laura saw Rebecca through the window.

Her stomach tightened so violently that she had to grip the countertop.

Daniel came downstairs.

"What is it?"

Laura pointed toward the porch.

He looked outside.

His expression hardened.

"I'll tell her to leave."

"No."

"Laura—"

"I need to do this."

Daniel hesitated.

"Are you sure?"

"No."

She looked at him.

"But I'm going to."

When she opened the door, Rebecca seemed smaller than Laura remembered.

She wore jeans, a gray sweater, and no makeup.

Her eyes were red.

"Laura."

Laura said nothing.

Rebecca swallowed.

"I wanted to see you."

"Why?"

"To apologize."

Laura looked at her sister for a long time.

Then she stepped onto the porch, closing the door behind her.

"Sophie is inside."

Rebecca lowered her eyes.

"I know."

"She still wakes up crying."

Tears filled Rebecca's eyes.

"Laura, I'm so sorry."

Laura's voice sharpened.

"Don't say that yet."

Rebecca flinched.

"Let me finish."

Laura crossed her arms.

"You came into my house. You smiled at my daughter. You stood beside my glass and put something inside it."

Rebecca nodded.

"Yes."

Laura's breath caught.

Hearing the admission directly was worse than reading any laboratory report.

"You watched me drink it."

"Yes."

"And you didn't stop me."

Rebecca's tears spilled.

"No."

Laura stared at her.

"Why?"

Rebecca struggled.

"Eleanor had evidence that I stole money from the company. She threatened to expose me."

"So you hurt me to protect yourself."

Rebecca closed her eyes.

"Yes."

The answer landed heavily.

No complicated justification.

No attempt to call Sophie mistaken.

Laura's voice broke.

"Did you think about what would happen if I never woke up?"

"I didn't think you'd collapse."

"But you knew it wasn't safe."

Rebecca nodded.

"I knew it was wrong."

"Did you think about Sophie?"

Rebecca began sobbing.

"I thought she'd be drawing. I thought you would get sleepy, lie down, and everything would be delayed."

Laura shook her head.

"She thought she watched me die."

"I know."

"No, Becca. You know because someone told you. You weren't the one holding her while she screamed."

Rebecca covered her face.

Laura looked toward the street.

A neighbor was walking a dog beneath the maple trees.

The world continued with unbearable indifference.

"You were my little sister," Laura whispered.

Rebecca lowered her hands.

"I still am."

Laura turned back.

"That's what makes this worse."

Rebecca reached into her coat pocket.

"I found Dad's letter."

Laura went still.

"The one in the blue folder?"

Rebecca nodded.

"I opened it. I'm sorry."

Laura stared at her.

"You stole my private letter, too?"

"Yes."

Rebecca held out a copy Samuel had helped her make for Laura. The original had already been surrendered with the folder.

"I wanted you to have his words."

Laura did not take it immediately.

Rebecca continued.

"He knew I was stealing."

"I know. Nadia told me."

"He was trying to help me."

Laura looked at her sister.

"He was trying to stop the damage."

Rebecca nodded.

"He said love wasn't permission to do harm."

Laura's eyes filled.

"He was right."

For a moment, both women remembered the same man.

Henry making pancakes on Sunday mornings.

Henry teaching them to fish.

Henry standing in a hospital corridor after their mother's death, holding both daughters because he did not know what else to do.

Rebecca whispered, "I think Eleanor wanted us to hate each other."

Laura's face hardened.

"Eleanor didn't make you put something in my milk."

"No."

"She may have threatened you. She may have manipulated you. But you still made the choice."

Rebecca nodded through her tears.

"I know."

Laura accepted the copy of the letter.

"Thank you for bringing this."

Rebecca looked hopeful.

But Laura stepped backward.

"That doesn't mean you can come inside."

"I understand."

"You can't see Sophie."

Rebecca's face crumpled.

"Laura—"

"Not now."

Rebecca lowered her head.

Laura continued.

"I don't know whether I'll ever trust you again. I don't know whether I'll ever be able to sit across from you without remembering that afternoon."

"I understand."

"No. I need you to understand something else."

Rebecca looked up.

"I loved you enough to protect you when everyone else was disappointed in you. But I won't protect you from the consequences of what you did."

Rebecca nodded.

"I don't want you to."

Laura went inside.

She closed the door softly.

Then she leaned against it and began crying.

Daniel found her there moments later.

He did not ask her to be strong.

He simply held her.

Upstairs, Sophie continued drawing.

She did not know her aunt had been standing outside.

And Laura intended to keep it that way until her daughter was ready.

That evening, Rebecca returned to her apartment and found a message from Eleanor.

I heard you visited Laura.

Rebecca stared at the screen.

Another message appeared.

You are making a terrible mistake.

Rebecca typed one sentence.

The mistake was believing you would protect me.

She sent it.

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