I gave up everything to raise my late fiancée’s six children—ten years later, her eldest son came to me with a truth about her that changed everything I believed.

declared Claire dead ten years ago.

Everyone else has made their peace with that.

Most days, so have I.

But on quiet nights, when the house is dark and the wind comes in off the water, I still find myself listening for the front door.

Still half-expecting, after all this time, to hear her voice in the hallway.

Some part of me always will.