The smell hit me first.<\/p>\n
Not the smell of something rotten.<\/p>\n
Something older.<\/p>\n
Damp concrete. Dust. Air that hadn\u2019t moved in years.<\/p>\n
I instinctively pulled the girls behind me.<\/p>\n
\u201cStay upstairs,\u201d I said quickly.<\/p>\n
But Grace shook her head.<\/p>\n
\u201cNo, Mommy likes when we visit.\u201d<\/p>\n
My stomach twisted.<\/p>\n
The basement stairs creaked beneath my feet as I slowly descended into darkness.<\/p>\n
A single lamp glowed faintly in the corner.<\/p>\n
And then I saw it.<\/p>\n
Discover more
\nInspirational messages
\nHoney garlic sauce
\nRecipe book<\/p>\n
Not a person.<\/p>\n
A room.<\/p>\n
A fully furnished room.<\/p>\n
My breath caught instantly.<\/p>\n
There was a bed neatly made with floral blankets.<\/p>\n
A bookshelf.<\/p>\n
Family photos.<\/p>\n
Discover more
\nTea blends
\nComforting dish recipes
\nBay leaf seasoning<\/p>\n
Children\u2019s drawings taped carefully to the walls.<\/p>\n
And at the center of it all\u2014<\/p>\n
a large framed portrait of Daniel\u2019s late wife, Rebecca.<\/p>\n
Candles surrounded the picture like some kind of shrine.<\/p>\n
I stared in disbelief.<\/p>\n
This wasn\u2019t storage.<\/p>\n
This was obsession.<\/p>\n
Discover more
\nBaking accessories
\nMeatball recipe
\nClove essential oil<\/p>\n
Behind me, little Emily smiled innocently.<\/p>\n
\u201cDaddy brings flowers down here every week.\u201d<\/p>\n
A chill ran through my entire body.<\/p>\n
I stepped further inside slowly.<\/p>\n
There were dozens of notebooks stacked neatly beside the bed.<\/p>\n
One lay open.<\/p>\n
My hands trembled as I picked it up.<\/p>\n
Discover more
\nHerbal drinks
\nMeal planning service<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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