Chapter 5: The Empty House

Evelyn's face drained of color.

"What do you mean?"

The voice on the other end was trembling.

[Ryan disappeared. He was supposed to be here. He was never supposed to leave.]

Future Evelyn sounded frantic for the first time.

[Go home. Check the house. Hurry!]

The call ended.

Evelyn stood frozen for several seconds before grabbing her car keys.

Marcus frowned.

"What's wrong?"

She shook her head.

"Nothing."

But her hands were already shaking.

Half an hour later, she rushed into our home.

The house was silent.

Far too silent.

"Ryan?"

No answer.

She searched the bedroom first.

The wardrobe doors stood open.

Half of my clothes were gone.

My passport.

My laptop.

Every photograph of Daisy and me.

Gone.

Only the family portrait remained.

She walked over and picked it up.

The glass frame had cracked down the center.

Right through the middle of our smiling faces.

A folded piece of paper rested beneath it.

Her heartbeat quickened.

She unfolded it.

It wasn't a letter.

It was a receipt.

Daisy's cremation certificate.

Only one family member had signed it.

Ryan Hale.

There was no mother's signature.

Evelyn's breathing became uneven.

She remembered asking me why I had never waited for her.

She had been busy comforting Chloe.

She had never attended Daisy's funeral.

Not even for five minutes.

Her phone rang again.

Future Evelyn.

She answered immediately.

"What is happening?"

Future Evelyn didn't reply to the question.

Instead she asked,

[Did Ryan leave the house with Daisy's ashes?]

Evelyn looked around the bedroom.

The porcelain urn was gone.

Only the shattered pieces Marcus had broken remained inside a garbage bag.

"No..."

Her voice became smaller.

"No, the ashes..."

She suddenly remembered.

Ryan had gathered every grain from the floor with his own trembling hands.

She had watched him.

She had done nothing.

Future Evelyn went completely silent.

After a long pause, she whispered,

[Everything has changed.]

"What changed?"

[In my timeline... Ryan never left.]

[He stayed beside me for another five years.]

[He hated me... but he never escaped.]

Evelyn's heartbeat pounded violently.

"So where is he now?"

The answer came like a knife.

[I don't know.]

For the first time in years...

Future Evelyn admitted she didn't know something.

At that very moment...

My train crossed the city limits.

I sat quietly beside the window.

The small wooden box containing Daisy's ashes rested safely on my lap.

Outside, the evening sun slowly disappeared beyond the mountains.

My phone vibrated again.

Evelyn.

I stared at the screen until it stopped ringing.

Seconds later...

Another call.

Ignored.

Then another.

And another.

Thirty-seven missed calls.

Finally...

A message appeared.

Ryan... where are you?

I deleted it.

Another message.

Come home.

Delete.

Another.

We can talk.

Delete.

Finally...

I'm sorry.

My thumb hovered over the screen.

Then I switched off the phone completely.

The cabin fell into silence.

For the first time in years...

No one could find me.

I leaned my forehead against the cold window.

"Daisy..."

I whispered.

"Daddy is taking you home."

The train disappeared into the darkness.

Behind me...

A woman finally realized she had not lost a husband.

She had lost every chance of ever being forgiven.