Chapter 76: Yvonne

YVONNE COULDN'T SEE THE house. Even the grass a few feet in front of her was blurry.

She lifted a hand and swiped at her face, doing her best to stem the tears. There was a difference between knowing her place in the family, and others seeing it. She'd always played the role of the dutiful daughter, content to work in the shadows, because she was part of something. Yes, Theodore had a bad habit of not passing along the praise for her work, but he had a lot on his plate, too. It wasn't like he sat back doing nothing. They each did their part.

Instead of heading for the patio, she cut through the grass toward the old oak tree and the tree house. As kids Theodore used to say she wasn't allowed inside because she was a girl, but Douglas would sneak her up when their oldest brother wasn't looking. They'd spent happier days up there.

The old oak was on the east side of the yard, twenty or so feet from the fence. She didn't remember when the landscaping company had put in the stone path