Chapter 10: No Rent

Dawn's POV

Marjorie stood on Ellie's porch at seven in the morning with a pie in her hands and her chin lifted.

Behind her, Clinton waited at the bottom of the steps with his head down.

Ellie had opened the door and looked at them both.

"I'll make coffee," she said, which meant she would listen from the kitchen.

Stian stood against the wall of the hallway with his arms crossed.

He had not slept either.

"Dawn, sweetheart," Marjorie said. "May I come in?"

"You can come in."

She stepped over the threshold and looked over the hall, the coats and the stairs.

Then she set the pie on the hall table and turned to me.

Her smile was wide and warm, and it stopped before her eyes.

"I won't pretend it isn't odd, driving up here at this hour," she said.

"But Clinton is beside himself, and Kendra's in tears. I thought someone should be sensible."

"Thank you for coming."

"I understand you've had a bit of a misunderstanding."

"Is that what he told you?"

"He said you were upset with the family."

"He said you refused to come for Christmas."

"He said you'd been resentful for a long time about the cabin."

I looked past her at Clinton.

He was looking at his shoes.

"Refused," I said.

"Well, that's how he put it."

"Marjorie, I was told you didn't want me there."

She laughed lightly. "Who would say such a thing?"

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