Derek walked home on autopilot. His mind never left the small cabin in the clearing with Laurelynn inside. In fact, it was still there as he let himself into the house, changed clothes, sat in his recliner and stared at the dark screen of the television.
Of course, he’d heard about his Karhyn’s father and rumor of some of the things she’d dealt with growing up, but he’d never given much thought to how her mother might have felt trapped. Never thought about what it might feel like to finally be free, or to shy away from relationships again after having spent so long in one as harmful as her marriage.
At midnight he was still sitting in front of the dark TV, not even noticing the silence that surrounded him as he had lost himself in his thoughts, not just about Laurelynn, but her ex-husban
