Chapter 4

Nicki"s fingers danced across the rough surface of the chopping board, a rhythmic clack accompanying each slice through the carrots. The kitchen was awash with the warm glow of the setting sun, piercing through half-closed blinds and casting long stripes across the countertop. A pot simmered quietly on the stove, tendrils of steam curling up like delicate wisps of smoke.

The click of the front door announced Adam"s arrival, and without missing a beat, she wiped her hands on her apron, turning to greet him.

"Hey," he said, his voice weary but warm as he leaned in, his lips finding hers in a brief sanctuary from the world outside. His kiss tasted of promises and long-shared comforts, an intimate ritual marking the end of another day.

"Rough day?" she asked, watching him as he loosened his tie with one hand, the other rifling absently through the stack of mail he"d scooped from the hallway table—bills, flyers, nothing that couldn"t wait.

"Could say that," Adam replied, his eyes not meeting hers as they scanned the envelopes. "Did anything interesting happen here?"

Nicki hesitated, the carrot beneath her knife pausing mid-chop.

"Interesting isn"t quite the word I"d use," she murmured. She stole a glance at him, gauging his attention before continuing.

"The police have been in and out of the house next door all day, parking their forensic vans on the grass that Steven always keeps so nice. And then all the people in their suits, trampling on those nice roses they just planted. I don"t know how anyone can be so careless."

"Yeah, I noticed the police cars out front. I could barely get into the driveway." Adam"s brow furrowed slightly, and he looked up now, concern knitting his features.

"I still can"t believe that Sarah shot Steven," Nicki blurted out, the words tumbling over themselves in her haste. "They are our friends, our neighbors, Adam. They used to love one another; do you remember? When Victoria was younger. It"s just… it"s strange how something can go so wrong, don"t you think? You think you know people. But I guess they say she was very drunk, which must have clouded her judgment. I just feel so awful, especially for Victoria. Don't you?" Her knife stilled, and she wrapped her arms around herself as though suddenly chilled.

"God, yeah. That"s crazy." Adam ran a hand through his hair, a troubled expression etching itself deeper into his face. He was clearly barely listening anymore.

She chewed her lip, wrestling with the thought that had haunted her since she heard the news. "Could you ever consider… murdering me over a fight?" she asked, her voice barely a whisper.

Adam"s head snapped up, his eyes wide with bewilderment. "Hm, what?" he asked, clearly caught off guard.

"Nothing," Nicki said quickly, too quickly perhaps, her heart pounding against her ribs. She forced a laugh, brittle and unconvincing even to her own ears. Turning back to her cooking, she focused on the carrots again, letting the rhythm of the knife restore a semblance of normalcy to the room. But inside, a coil of unease tightened. She wondered if normal would ever truly return or if it was just another casualty in a world where dinner conversations could turn so dark so quickly.