Keychains

Ten years ago, Nora Whelan fled her home, burdened by painful family secrets. Now a successful marketing manager, she’s built a new life, determined to leave the past behind. But an unexpected inheritance – her family's old house – forces her to confront not only the fractured history of her family but also the truth behind her strange ability to glimpse into others' lives through their keys. What secrets lie buried within the house? And what is worth fixing, and what is better left behind?

The late September evening welcomed us as we stepped outside Coop's Bistro and Bar. The bar glowed with lights and laughter. For a moment, the discomfort between us dispelled. The sound of cars swelled and faded in the early evening light.

Tai hummed a tune akin to thick strokes on a canvas before the brush flicked upwards; relaxing, but with an undercurrent of energy. I hoped he had forgotten about the conversation before I excused myself to the washroom. By then, the bar had filled with patrons and noise.

"You forgot this," I said, holding up his keychains. The worn metal tags clacked as I placed it in his palm. They glinted; the Korean peninsula, a Brazilian flag, and a Scottish heart-shaped pendant. He was very young when he visited Scotland, he'd told me, so he didn't remember many details about my homeland. Where my parents immigrated from. Thankfully I went to the washroom before he could ask about them.

Keychains

Mystery Family Secrets Supernatural Ability Emotional Abuse Inheritance