Page 16 of The Hotel Room

Lily nodded, but the sadness in her eyes was too wise for twelve.

“Do you want to help me with the laundry?” Kate asked, forcing brightness into her voice.

Lily nodded again, smaller this time, and climbed onto the bed to fold socks beside her.

Kate kept her hands moving, folding, smoothing, pressing fabric into neat piles.Keep moving. Stay busy.

The door opened a second time.

Noah.

Kate knew before she even looked up—the way the air shifted, heavier. His footsteps were sharper, his presence louder even when he said nothing.

“Hey, bud,” Kate said carefully. “You need something?”

Noah’s arms were crossed over his chest, his jaw tight, the glare already set on his face.

“Yeah,” he said, voice low. “I need to know when we’re going backhome.”

Kate swallowed hard, trying to meet his gaze without crumbling.

“I—I don’t know yet. We’re just staying here for a little while. Until things settle.”

Noah’s scowl deepened. “Settle fromwhat, Mom? What are we evendoing here?”

Lily flinched beside her, shrinking into herself.

“Noah—”

“Seriously! You’re making us live at Aunt Leah’s like we’re on some kind of punishment.Why?”

Kate felt the sting in her chest, sharp and twisting. She forced herself to stay calm. Steady.

“I told you. Your dad and I—”

“Are fighting? Is that it?” Noah’s voice rose. “You’re mad at him so you made us leave?What did he even do?”

Kate opened her mouth, but the words wouldn’t come.

How could she tell him the truth without shattering him too? Without planting images he’d never unsee?

She shook her head. “This isn’t about punishment, Noah. Things between your father and I are—complicated.”

His jaw clenched.

“Yeah, well, seems pretty simple to me,” he snapped. “You’re the one who left. Not him.”

Lily let out a tiny whimper, and Kate’s heart cracked right down the middle.

“Noah—please, not in front of your sister.”

But Noah wasn’t listening. His eyes were bright with unshed tears, anger masking everything softer underneath.

“We were fine,” he hissed. “Ourfamilywas fine until you made it weird. And now you’re dragging us out of our house, acting like we’re the ones who did something wrong. Dad didn’t even—”

“Stop!” Kate’s voice broke, harsher than she meant, but it was the only way to cut him off before he said something he couldn’t take back.

The silence afterward felt heavy, awful.

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