My voice shook every time.
“Yes. This is what he wanted.”
Then Dr. Rivers found me in the hallway.
And handed me the envelope.
That night, I sat alone in our house with it resting on the kitchen table.
Eventually, I opened it.
Inside was a folded note and a flash drive.
The note contained only a few lines.
Please don’t watch this just because you miss me.
Watch it if someone ever makes you doubt me.
And especially if someone makes you doubt yourself.
I read it twice.
Then a third time.
Finally, I looked toward the empty chair across the table.
“You’re dead,” I muttered. “You don’t get to give me instructions anymore.”
Cecelia kicked hard beneath my ribs.
I looked down.
“Your father is already annoying me from beyond the grave.”
Another kick.
“Yes. He probably deserved that.”
I folded the note.
Then I put the flash drive away.
I wasn’t ready.
Part 4: Grief Needed Someone to Blame
Two days later, Violet came to the house.
I found her standing in Cecelia’s nursery, folding a pink blanket that had already been folded perfectly.
“Violet?”
She didn’t turn around.
“Did they take everything?”
For a moment, I didn’t understand.
“From Mark,” she added.
I swallowed.
