Chapter 8. {The Weight Of Silence}
1068 Words
The attic felt colder than before.
Melissa slowly closed the memory chest, her fingers lingering on its worn wooden surface.
The bundle of dried lavender was gone.
She searched the chest again, hoping she’d simply overlooked it.
Nothing.
A knot formed in her stomach.
“Mom…”
she whispered.
“Did someone take it… or were you trying to tell me something?”
The only answer was the soft whistle of the wind through the tiny attic window.
She hugged herself before quietly leaving the room.
…
Halfway down the stairs, she nearly bumped into Jason.
He looked startled.
“Melissa?”
“I… couldn’t sleep.”
His eyes softened immediately.
“I was about to say the same thing.”
She noticed how exhausted he looked.
His neatly combed hair was slightly messy, and there were dark circles beneath his eyes.
He hadn’t been sleeping either.
Without thinking, she wrapped her arms around him.
Jason froze.
Melissa hadn’t hugged him first since Emily died.
“I’m sorry, Dad.”
He blinked.
“For what?”
“I’ve been so caught up in missing Mom…”
Her voice trembled.
“I forgot that you lost her too.”
Jason’s throat tightened.
Slowly, he hugged her back.
His daughter still trusted him.
She still believed he was her safe place.
The thought nearly broke him.
“It’s okay, Sunshine.”
His voice cracked.
“We’ll get through this.”
Melissa smiled sadly.
“Together?”
Jason forced himself to smile.
“Together.”
For a brief moment…
The house felt like home again.
…
Jason
Melissa had gone back to bed.
Jason remained standing in the hallway.
His smile disappeared the moment her bedroom door closed.
He leaned heavily against the wall, covering his face with trembling hands.
“I don’t deserve her…”
The words escaped in a whisper.
Every time Melissa looked at him with love…
The guilt became harder to bear.
He remembered Emily’s smile.
Her laughter.
The promises he’d made.
Promises he’d failed to keep.
His phone vibrated.
Catherine.
He stared at the screen for several seconds before answering.
“What?”
“You sound upset.”
“What do you want?”
Her tone remained calm.
“Has Melissa found anything?”
Jason’s jaw clenched.
“No.”
“Good.”
There was a pause.
Then Catherine spoke again.
“Remember to take your medication.”
“I don’t need another reminder.”
“You do.”
“I’m fine.”
“No, Jason.”
Her voice became colder.
“You’ve never been fine.”
The call ended.
Jason looked at the bottle of pills in his pocket.
For the first time…
He didn’t take one.
…
The next morning…
Melissa woke to the smell of burnt toast.
She smiled.
“Dad…”
She walked downstairs to find Jason staring helplessly at the frying pan.
“I guess Mom was right.”
He looked over his shoulder.
“About what?”
“I definitely inherited your cooking skills.”
Jason laughed.
A genuine laugh.
The first Melissa had heard in months.
“She used to tease me all the time.”
Melissa grinned.
“She wasn’t wrong.”
For a few precious minutes…
They laughed together.
Not because the pain had disappeared.
But because Emily had left behind memories worth smiling about.
Melissa silently promised herself something.
I’ll take better care of him.
He looked so tired.
So lonely.
She couldn’t lose him too.
…
Later that afternoon…
Jason left for work.
Before getting into his car, he looked back at the house.
Melissa waved from the front porch.
He waved back with a smile.
Only after driving away did the smile disappear.
…
Jason
He didn’t go to the office.
Instead, he parked outside the cemetery.
Emily’s grave stood beneath the shade of the jacaranda tree.
Fresh lavender rested against the headstone.
Jason frowned.
“I didn’t bring those…”
Slowly, he approached.
Someone else had visited.
He knelt before the grave.
“I’m sorry.”
His voice was barely audible.
“I failed you.”
A tear landed on the polished stone.
“I thought I could fix everything.”
“I thought I could protect Melissa.”
“I was wrong.”
His shoulders shook as years of guilt threatened to consume him.
“I don’t know how much longer I can keep this secret…”
Behind him…
A twig snapped.
Jason spun around.
No one.
Only the wind.
But resting against the tree was a small black envelope.
His heartbeat quickened.
He picked it up.
Inside was a single photograph.
Emily.
Smiling.
Standing beside him.
Across the photograph, written in bold red ink, were five chilling words.
YOUR TIME IS RUNNING OUT.
Jason’s hands began to tremble violently.
Someone knew.
Someone had always known.
…
That evening…
Melissa was setting the table when the doorbell rang.
“I’ll get it!”
She hurried to the front door.
Standing outside was Catherine.
She smiled warmly.
“Hello, sweetheart.”
In one hand, she carried a casserole dish.
In the other…
A small overnight bag.
Melissa blinked.
“Aunt Catherine?”
Before Catherine could answer…
Jason walked into the hallway.
His expression immediately changed.
“Catherine…”
She smiled sweetly.
“I hope you don’t mind.”
She stepped inside.
“I thought I’d stay for a few days.”
Melissa looked between them.
Jason hesitated.
Then slowly nodded.
“I was going to tell you tonight.”
He turned to Melissa.
“Honey…”
“Catherine and Isabella will be moving in with us.”
Melissa fell silent.
Her eyes widened for only a second.
Then she looked at Catherine.
If this would help her father…
She would try.
She forced a polite smile.
“Welcome home, Aunt Catherine.”
Catherine smiled and gently stroked Melissa’s hair.
“Thank you, sweetheart.”
Behind Melissa…
Their eyes met.
Jason’s were filled with dread.
Catherine’s held quiet triumph.
Neither of them said a word.
………
Upstairs, as Melissa unpacked a few towels for the guest room, she glanced toward her mother’s bedroom.
The door was slightly open.
She could have sworn she’d closed it that morning.
A cool breeze drifted from inside, carrying the faint scent of lavender.
Melissa smiled softly.
“Goodnight, Mom.”
She gently closed the door and walked away, never noticing the shadow that slipped across the bedroom window.
- Writer
