Chapter 14 - The Last Gate
Two weeks later, the Riverdale estate looked different under the autumn sun.
The iron gates stood wide open.
The security protocols had been entirely restructured under new, honest management.
Evander stood in the upstairs hallway outside his mother's room.
For four years, he had stood at the threshold without daring to cross it.
Today, the door was open.
Inside, Anora Rallo sat in her armchair by the window, the morning light catching the silver in her hair.
Standing beside her, holding a plate of buttered toast, was Tamson.
Anora laughed—a real, clear laugh that hadn't been heard in this house since before the crash.
Evander took a deep breath.
He lifted his right foot.
He placed it down across the threshold.
Carpet fibers pressed softly beneath his shoe.
He took a second step.
Anora turned her head.
She looked at her son standing inside her room.
She didn't scream.
Her eyes softened with a sudden, lucid flash of recognition.
"Evander," she whispered.
Evander walked across the remaining feet of the room.
He dropped to one knee beside his mother's chair, burying his face against her hands as tears finally broke through the stone facade he had worn for a lifetime.
Anora stroked his hair gently with her left hand.
Her right hand remained closed around the gold locket with the copper wire.
Tamson watched from the window, a quiet peace settling over her tired bones.
May you like
She pulled the old black wool coat tighter around her shoulders.
The blue-stitched button felt warm against her chest.
