Constance picked Michael up in the evening, after he had spent the day with his parents exploring the house. She had never seen him so elated when the visit was over. He was babbling on about his mom and dad, uncle Beauregard, his other grandparents and all the fun that he had during his time in the house.

It was a strange kind of feeling. Constance wasn't sure if she was supposed to be overcome with happiness or jealousy. She had raised this child alone and now that she was introducing Michael to new people, new family members, it felt like she was losing him.

But you couldn't use something you had never had, right?

Michael was never truly hers. He was someone else's child that she was caring for. She tried to repeat this to herself over and over but didn't believe it.

"Grandma, can I have something to eat?" The child asked as he stood in front of his sitting grandmother.

"Not now, angel" Constance replied dismissively as she contemplated reaching for her cigarette purse "I'll start with your supper in a bit"

"Now!" Michael screamed, stamping his foot and sucking his breath. He narrowed his eyes at his grandmother and suddenly a few pots from the cupboard fell to the kitchen floor, cracking and breaking instantly.

"Michael!" Constance shouted back at the five year old. She quickly picked up the pieces of broken pot and put them on the table "You will wait until your supper or I'll put you back in the bad boy's closet!"

"Now!" He cried again "Now! Now! Now!"

"I will not allow this behaviour!" Constance hissed as she bent down to Michael's height "I have cared for you all your life and I have given you all you have ever wanted! The next time you dare break anything of mine, I'll leave you on the steps of a church so Jesus can try to save you!"

The angry child stormed off and the widow smiled, satisfied at her work.

-

"Is there a bed in the attic?" Violet asked Nora as they sorted out the things they could pass down to Michael.

After the incident with Charles, Nora looked emptier than ever. Parts of her had still loved him despite everything he had done. She didn't think he'd ever try harming anyone again but Nora had clearly thought Charles had some humanity left in him. Humanity crashed and burned when Thaddeus had been delivered back to the house in pieces. He was as heartbroken as Nora was but didn't cope with it in the same way.

"Only cribs" Nora replied as she folded a blanket and set it beside her on a pile. The two spirits were on the floor of Violet's bedroom sorting through boxes that Tate was bringing down from the attic "I would guess Michael would be too old for most of Thaddeus's former possessions"

"Was it really five years ago?" The younger sighed as she pulled out a stack of Beatrix Potter books from a box on the bed.

Five years since she had killed herself. Five years since her mother fell pregnant and died during childbirth. Five years since Hayden killed her father. Five years since she had ended it with Tate. Five years since they moved into the house.

A lot had happened, to say the least, but it felt like she was stuck in a moment she would never get out of.

"I believe so" Nora sighed as she carefully placed a rattle on the rug.

"I still don't fully forgive him" Violet confessed, slumping against the bed frame. The things he had done were like the scars on her wrist - She forgot about them but they were always there always would be.

"You have every right to still be upset, Violet" Nora soothed, placing her cold hand on the teenager's.

"I love him, Nora" She nodded "and he saved me and I I thought meeting Michael would make it all better but somehow, I feel the same as I did before"

"And how's that?"

"Sad"

The mouth of the blond on the other side of the door parted in disbelief and hurt. He left the last box by the door and disappeared, not wanting to face Violet after hearing everything she had said.

He needed time as did she.

Maybe they weren't meant to be, after all.

-

"I am past understanding you, Pat" Chad said shakily as he shook his head, tears spilling from his brown eyes. The more he tried to speak, the more he heard the individual pieces of his heart crack.

"You're so melodramatic" Pat scoffed "What have I done now? Don't tell me - I've left a sock on the floor! Or maybe it's because I've eaten a carb!"

"I wouldn't count Charles as a carb!" Chad snapped

"Wow, Chad" Pat responded, clapping sarcastically as the pain spread across his boyfriend's face "What a comeback"

"How could you?" He cried "I loved you!"

"And pigs also fly, in case you didn't notice"

"I know, I've sat next to you on flights"

"Don't act like you're such a saint - I've seen the way you look at him!"

"Who?!"

"Ben!" Pat yelled "I know you're in love with him!"

"I was! But I never cheated!"

"You might as well have!"

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"That this relationship was going down the toilet anyway!"

Pain, hurt and betrayal rushed through Chad's veins and blocking them with heartbreak, killing him all over again.