It had been two years since her mother had passed, but she still felt a pang of sadness wash over her at the thought of going inside. This was the last of her mother’s estate. Yet, she still wasn’t ready to be assailed with the memories of their summers here. Honestly, she knew she’d never really be ready. She had decided that now was as good a time as any, because no matter how long she waited, it would be bittersweet. She took a deep breath and fished into her handbag for the key. Her hand shook as she struggled to open the lock. When she finally managed to turn the key, she opened the door and stepped over the threshold. Shock filled her as she took in the level of disrepair the home was in. The estate agent had said the place was in need of some cleaning and a coat of paint when he turned over the keys to Stella. The previous tenants had left the house in excellent condition, he’d said. The estate agent had clearly lied. Stella walked through the sitting room into the dining room and winced.
