Chapter 9 - Healing the EstateThe dark atmosphere that had hung over the Reyes estate like a shroud for six long months finally dissipated.
The security cameras outside Lucía’s bedroom were dismantled and thrown into the dumpster. The locked doors were opened, the staff contracts were renegotiated with fair wages and proper benefits, and the house began to feel like a home again.
On a bright Saturday afternoon, Lucía sat at the sunny kitchen table with a fresh box of Crayola crayons and a clean sheet of white paper.
I walked over, leaning over her shoulder to watch.
She wasn't drawing monsters anymore.
She was drawing a bright blue sky, a tall green tree, and two stick figures holding hands—one big, one small, standing under a warm, shining sun.
Lucía looked up at me, smiling brightly.
“Do you like it, Aunt Camila?”
May you like
I smiled, kissing the top of her dark hair.
“It’s a masterpiece, sweetheart. The best one yet.”
