Aunt Elaine arrived on a Thursday, and I had exactly three days of peace after Eleanor's departure. Three days of quiet mornings and Sophie's chaos and Kevin's spreadsheets and Lucas's pink ears. Three days of pretending my family was complete and no one else would descend on my penthouse like a well-dressed hurricane.
I was wrong.
The doorbell rang at precisely ten in the morning with a sharp and precise rhythm... two short rings followed by one long, like a code, like someone was announcing their arrival with deliberate intention. I opened the door, and a woman stood in the hallway. Late forties, impeccably dressed in a cream silk blouse and tailored navy trousers. Her hair was perfect and her makeup was perfect, and her posture was so perfect it made Lucas look like he was slouching.
She looked me up and down while taking in my unicorn pajamas and my messy hair and my bare feet. Her expression didn't change, but I felt judged anyway.
"So," she said. "You're the amnesiac."
