That evening I walked through the house with a notebook.

I wrote down the furniture in each room and photographed the family pictures.

I noted the condition of the windows and the old stain on the dining room ceiling.

For the first time, I began to think about the house not only as a place of memories but as a responsibility I was capable of carrying.

PART 9: A Conversation I Never Expected

Chloe called on a Thursday evening.