Chapter 1 - Give Madison the Room
The dinner had started like every other uncomfortable Hayes family dinner.
Daniel sat at the head of the polished wooden table, pretending to read something on his phone while Cynthia controlled the conversation.
Madison sat beside her mother, scrolling through pictures of the bedroom she had already decided belonged to her.
Natalie noticed the behavior but said nothing.
She had learned years ago that silence was sometimes safer than asking questions.
Then Madison casually said, “Mom, I think the upstairs bedroom would look amazing with the new vanity.”
Natalie looked up.
“Which bedroom?”
Madison smiled.
“Yours.”
The room went quiet.
Natalie slowly put down her fork.
“My bedroom?”
Cynthia didn't even look embarrassed.
“You're twenty-five.”
“So?”
“So you don't need a bedroom here anymore.”
Natalie glanced at Daniel.
He remained silent.
“I pay rent,” Natalie said.
Cynthia laughed.
“You contribute to groceries. Don't flatter yourself.”
“I've also paid part of the mortgage.”
Daniel finally looked up.
“That's enough.”
Natalie stared at him.
“I wasn't talking to you, Dad. I was talking to her.”
Cynthia leaned forward.
“This is my house.”
Natalie felt something cold settle inside her.
“No,” she said. “It's Dad's house.”
Cynthia's smile disappeared.
For the next thirty seconds, the argument escalated until Cynthia suddenly grabbed Natalie's plate.
She dumped the food onto the floor.
The crash silenced everyone.
“Give Madison your fucking bedroom or get the hell out of my house!”
Madison laughed.
“Take the basement, bitch.”
Natalie looked at Daniel.
“Dad?”
He couldn't meet her eyes.
“Just give her the room.”
That was the moment something inside Natalie finally stopped trying.
She stood.
“Okay.”
Cynthia blinked.
“Okay?”
Natalie nodded.
“I'll leave.”
Madison burst out laughing.
“You're actually serious?”
Natalie walked upstairs.
She packed quietly.
Two suitcases.
A laptop.
A few clothes.
Her grandmother's cedar box.
Nothing else.
When she returned downstairs, Cynthia was smiling.
“She'll be back by morning,” Cynthia told Daniel.
Natalie stopped at the door.
“No.”
Everyone looked at her.
“I won't.”
She opened the door.
May you like
And walked into the night.
She had no idea that by sunrise, Cynthia would regret those words.
