Unbeknownst to their parents, Violet and Cole had a clandestine 9-month relationship before parting ways following Cole's injury, courtesy of Paige. Despite the messy breakup, Violet managed to maintain a positive connection with the Walters, except...
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Violet descended the farmhouse stairs, the wood creaking beneath her step, expecting the usual hum of a quiet morning. Instead, she walked straight into a storm — her mother, Dahlia, rushing about the kitchen like a woman possessed.
"What are you even doing?" Violet asked, brows furrowed. The house had been quieter since Sage left for Washington and Juniper settled into college. It was usually just Celeste humming to herself, Daisy bent over homework, Phoenix playing outside, and Dahlia moving at half her usual pace. But today? Chaos.
"Phoenix lost his bird. He lost his bird!" Dahlia snapped, breathless.
Violet turned to her little brother, who stood in the doorway, shoulders slumped, guilt written across his small frame. Phoenix had always been more comfortable in the company of animals and trees than people. Losing a companion — even one with feathers — cut deep.
Violet's gaze flicked to the calendar tacked on the wall. Just two days away: the anniversary of her father's death. The shadow of it explained everything. Her mother's frantic energy wasn't about the bird, not really.
Joshua Fields had been the kind of man who seemed untamable once — the wild boy at every party. Until Dahlia anchored him. At seventeen she'd fallen pregnant, her own father had turned his back, and only Celeste had stood by her. Joshua had changed for her, and for their children. And then, far too soon, he was gone.
"Hey, Mom," Violet said gently, "I'll find the bird. Why don't you check in with Daisy and Grandma?"
Dahlia paused, chest rising and falling too quickly, then softened at the sight of her middle daughter. Violet had always been her rock — the one who shouldered responsibility after Joshua's death, getting the kids to school, keeping the house from tipping into ruin. Sage had escaped to college, Juniper into rebellion, but Violet had stayed. Held it together until Celeste finally moved in.
"Thanks, honey," Dahlia murmured, brushing a strand of hair back before retreating.
Violet sighed and stepped outside. "Nix," she called softly, crouching by her brother, "the bird will come back."
"His name is Chicken," Phoenix corrected, voice trembling.
"Sorry," Violet smiled faintly. "Chicken will come back. But how about breakfast first? Then we'll head to the Walters'."
Phoenix perked up slightly. "Will Parker be there?"
"She lives there, silly."
Satisfied, he hurried inside. Violet prayed Chicken would return — this was the fourth "replacement bird" she'd smuggled past Phoenix, and she wasn't sure she had it in her to find a fifth.
By the time she crossed over to the Walters', the chaos had shifted into a different kind of energy. Phoenix had already darted upstairs in search of Parker. Isaac came barreling down the staircase, nearly colliding with Lee.
