Chapter 405

• I opened the freezer and took out some fish. I put it in the oven and let it bake while the vegetables steamed. I knocked on Charlotte’s door five minutes before it would be ready. She hadn’t emerged at all and I had no idea what was going through her head.
• “Charlotte, dinner’s ready.” I went back downstairs when she didn’t answer me. I ate dinner alone and took two more pills. I felt tired after I cleaned the kitchen and I went upstairs to my room after calling the dogs and locking up.
• The next morning when I woke up, I felt better. I brushed my teeth and got dressed in the bathroom after another shower. Charlotte was in the kitchen when I went downstairs, making coffee. It was half past six and she just looked at me as she handed me the cup. I felt awkward around her and I was sure she did too. Regret, it was written all over her face.