Chapter 15 - The Treehouse

Dad built the treehouse in June.

He did not hire anyone. He said he wanted to do it with his hands. Sarah said he wanted to do it with his guilt. He said maybe both.

Lily and I helped. I handed him nails. Lily painted the boards after he cut them. Sarah made lemonade and kept saying, "Daniel, that is not level."

It took three weekends.

The treehouse was not fancy. It had four walls, a roof, a small window, and a rope ladder. Dad painted it blue. Lily painted flowers on the door. I painted a dinosaur on the side.

Sarah made a sign.

THE SAFE PLACE.

Dad hung it above the door.

Lily and I slept there the first night. Dad pitched a tent in the yard below because Sarah said she was not letting two children sleep in a tree alone.

We lay in our sleeping bags and looked at the stars through the window.

"Ethan?"

"Yeah?"

"Are you still scared?"

I thought about it.

"Sometimes."

"Me too."

"But not right now."

She was quiet.

"Not right now," she agreed.

We listened to the crickets.

"Lily?"

"Yeah?"

"Thanks for giving me your chicken."

She laughed.

"That was a long time ago."

"I know."

"I'd do it again."

I smiled in the dark.

"I know."

The next morning, we came down for breakfast. Dad made too much food again. Sarah made strawberry cake for no reason.

Claire came over. She brought balloons even though it was not a birthday.

"What are we celebrating?" I asked.

Claire looked at Dad. Then Sarah. Then Lily.

"Being here," she said.

That was enough.

We ate on the patio. Dad burned the bacon. Lily fed some to a bird. Sarah took pictures. Claire told jokes that were not funny.

I looked around the table.

My dad. My mom. My sister. My aunt.

Not perfect. Not fixed. But mine.

After breakfast, Lily pulled my hand.

"Come on."

"Where?"

"The treehouse."

We climbed up. She sat in the corner with her stuffed rabbit. I sat by the window.

Below us, Dad and Sarah were cleaning up. Dad dropped a plate. Sarah laughed.

Lily giggled.

"They're weird."

"Yeah."

"I like them."

"Me too."

She leaned her head on my shoulder.

"Ethan?"

"Yeah?"

"We're safe."

I looked at the sign on the door.

May you like

My Husband Slapped Me Twice in His Jewelry Store—Then I Discovered He'd...

My husband slapped me twice in his luxury jewelry store while his mistress smiled. I left my wedding ring on the counter and warne...

My Husband Slapped Me Twice in His Jewelry Store—Then I Found the Forged...

My husband slapped me twice in front of his mistress, never realizing I had already discovered a forged document giving him contro...

THE SIGNATURE SHE NEVER GAVE

My husband hit me twice in his luxury jewelry store while his mistress stood watching. I didn't scream. I didn't fight back. I lef...

"Yeah," I said. "We are."

And for the first time, I believed it.