The Christmas tree there was smaller, its decorations crooked, and the sofa had a blanket fort waiting for her.

“Is this our secret house?” Tessa asked.

“It’s our safe place for a little while,” I answered.

She found a little wrapped box under the tree.

Inside was a sketchbook and a pack of markers.

Lauren had included a note: No rules about drawing inside the lines.

Tessa laughed for the first time since Christmas morning.

After lunch she began drawing a house with a purple roof.