Chapter 4 - The Farm Near FranklinTwo hours later, night had fallen over the rolling hills outside Franklin, Tennessee.
A heavy rain began to fall, turning the dirt roads into mud as Rowanâs Range Rover pulled up to a small, dilapidated farmhouse at the end of a long gravel driveway.
The house had peeling white paint, a sagging front porch, and a single warm yellow light glowing through a small living room window.
Rowan stepped out of his vehicle, his expensive leather shoes sinking into the mud, his dark suit jacket soaked within seconds by the pouring rain. He didn't care.
He walked up the rotten porch steps, his heart hammering in his throat, his hands shaking as he reached out to knock on the screen door.
KNOCK. KNOCK. KNOCK.
Inside, a chair scraped against the floorboards.
A moment later, the inner wooden door opened.
Standing in the doorway, wearing a worn gray sweater, her dark hair tied back in a loose bun, was Maren.
In her arms, she cradled baby Luke, gently rocking him to sleep, while baby Henry slept quietly in a small wooden crib near the woodstove.
When Maren saw Rowan standing on her porch in the rain, she didn't scream. She didn't slam the door. She simply froze, her brown eyes filling with a quiet, heartbreaking stillness.
âRowan,â Maren spoke softly, her voice barely carrying over the sound of the rain. âWhy are you here? Tessaâs money was enough for today.â
Rowan looked at his ex-wife. He looked at his infant son resting against her shoulder.
May you like
He fell onto his knees right there on the wet porch boards, burying his face in his hands, weeping like a broken man.
âMaren...â Rowan sobbed, his voice cracking into pieces. âI know... God help me, I know everything.â
Related Stories
