Outside the living room window the morning sky bloomed in a riot of reds and pinks. We had talked all night, something we hadn’t done since our early months of dating.

“I appreciate you telling me everything. I’m glad we have that kind of honesty in our marriage. And with everything Felicity has gone through, I’m giving her a pass this time. I’d prefer if we could keep all of this just between us.” And Debra, I didn’t add. “But Cody, if you ever do anything like this to me again, I’m out. Done. Do you understand?”

He leaned across the sofa to hug me, but I held my hand out to stop him. I pinned him with a glare.

“No. I’m not ready for that yet. I forgive you, but I don’t want to be near you right now. You have a lot of making up to do first.”

He nodded understanding.

“Does Oliver know?” he asked.

“I don’t know. I don’t think so.”

“He should probably know the truth.”

No, I was pretty certain this would be Oliver’s tipping point. Missing teen, sick child, and cheating wife? There was only so much two shoulders could carry.

“That’s between them, Cody. If Oliver finds this out right now, it’s not just his marriage that you’re messing with, but the whole family. Do you think he’ll ever be able to trust you again? Even if he keeps his wife, he’ll lose his brother. You need to stay out of it.”

“Secrets aren’t good, Marin. They’re toxic. And I know you’re hiding something from me too. I can feel the schism between us. It’s been growing for the past couple weeks.”

I knew I had been slipping. It was hard to wear a mask all the time.

“Whatever it is, you can tell me. I’m willing to put everything out there for you. Please do the same for me. I can handle whatever it is.”

No, he really couldn’t.

Hazy morning light crept along the windowsill, revealing the chips of paint that needed a touch-up. The house embodied my family, falling apart, dripping with secrets like that leaky kitchen plumbing, groaning for repairs to the rotting floorboards. But it was ours, and although a mess, I wasn’t ready to give up on it.

“I’ve told you everything I was hiding, Cody. About seeing Vera the night she disappeared. There’s nothing else to say.”

That seemed to satisfy him…momentarily.

“So all of our secrets and lies and stuff are out in the open now, right?” He swallowed, tempering all those worrisome thoughts that boggled his brain any time he was afraid I was about to pull the rug out from under him. “Because now is the time to say whatever else needs to be said if we have any chance at moving forward.”