#Chapter 68: The Frozen Decision

Abigail The air in the lodge felt thick, like something was being kept unsaid. Mom was pacing, frustrated, with Dad in the kitchen and I could feel the tension all the way down the hall. Something was wrong—more than just the cold outside. Since Mom and Owen came back from the brink, things had been off, especially after the doctor’s visit. But we missed most of it, falling asleep before they could explain. I crept down the hall, past the kitchen, where I could hear Mom’s voice arguing with Dad. She sounded stressed, like when she’s trying to fix something broken but doesn’t have the right tool. Owen was on the couch, eyes darting toward the kitchen. “Abigail,” he whispered, not looking up. “Stay away from the kitchen.” I rolled my eyes. Owen was always so serious. He never wanted to eavesdrop during Mom and Dad’s arguments, but that was exactly when I wanted to know what was going on. I was good at sneaking—better than Owen, even though he thought he was the big brother.