Chapter 17 - The Mansion Became Something Else
When Lily turned seven, I made a decision everyone thought was crazy.
I moved out of the mansion.
Not because of Marcus.
Not because of memories.
Because the house was enormous.
Too enormous for two people.
I donated its long-term use to the foundation.
The mansion that Marcus once claimed as his became temporary housing for families whose children were receiving treatment at nearby hospitals.
The first family arrived on a rainy Tuesday.
A mother.
A father.
Two little boys.
Their six-year-old daughter was undergoing cancer treatment.
The mother stood in the foyer and cried.
"We can stay here?"
"As long as you need."
"How much?"
"Nothing."
She covered her mouth.
I looked toward the staircase.
Five years earlier, Marcus had pointed toward the front door and told me to leave.
Now that same doorway welcomed families who had nowhere else to go.
I couldn't think of a better answer to him.
Not revenge.
Transformation.
Lily and I moved into a smaller house with a backyard.
She loved it.
"Can we get a dog?"
"No."
"Why?"
"Because I'm finally sleeping."
We got a dog two weeks later.
His name was Pancake.
Lily chose it.
Pancake destroyed one sofa, three shoes, and an extremely expensive rug.
I loved him anyway.
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Life became wonderfully ordinary.
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