One point of the crown had a thumbprint pressed permanently into it.

I left that alone.

Upstairs, Ethan was checking on Noah.

I could hear the bedroom door close softly.

I did not open the folder again.

Everything in it would still be there when the next conversation began.

I checked that the flowers had water, then turned off the dining room light.

On the table, Noah’s paper crown stayed beside the blue folder.