I woke to voices. Low. Serious. Coming from the living room.
The clock on the nightstand read 2:47 am.
I sat up. Listened.
Ethan. Definitely Ethan. But talking to someone. On the phone maybe?
I shouldn't eavesdrop. Should roll over. Go back to sleep.
Instead, I got up. Crept to the door. Opened it a crack.
He sat on the couch. Back to me. Phone pressed to his ear. His voice rough. Tired.
"I know, Grace. I know what you're going to say."
Grace. His sister. The one Lily had mentioned.
"She's still here. The roads haven't cleared enough. And I..." He paused. "I asked her to stay. Through Christmas."
Silence. He was listening. His shoulders tense.
"It's not like that. It's. Complicated." Another pause. "Yes, I know Lily's getting attached. I'm not blind."
My chest tightened.
"What
