Side door, key, hard and clean.

Back door.

Front door.

I put my hand on the solid brass handle, ran my thumb over the cool curve of it, and pulled the door shut.

The heavy click came up through the wood into my palm.

I left the porch light on, the way my mother always did, and stood in the dark hallway listening to a house with nobody in it.

The house was empty, and for the first time, it was entirely mine.