Keeley strapped the babies into their high chairs and decided to sort through the mail while she waited for Aaron. Most of it was junk, but one letter stood out—an unfamiliar return address and the name "Graydon Meyer" printed above it.

She was so shocked she nearly dropped it. He had been in prison for over six months and had never contacted them before. Why now?

When Aaron returned, she wordlessly handed him the letter before serving lemon rosemary chicken and potatoes. She carefully gave the twins tiny pieces to prevent choking.

It had been a while since she'd seen any affection from her husband, but his old guarded demeanor had returned with a vengeance. Even the babies seemed restless, sensing the shift in the atmosphere.

"What does it say?" Keeley asked tentatively.

"He wants me to visit him," Aaron replied flatly. "Why now? What does he want? I thought he was finally going to leave us alone."

How was she supposed to know? Gray's motivations were even more inscrutable than Aaron's. She had no idea what he wanted. Perhaps he was bored.

She understood her husband's upset, though. Ignoring the letter would make him seem uncaring towards his brother. Gray could become very angry and retaliate once released—a distant possibility, but still a threat. It was better to appease him, and Aaron knew it.

Even so, visiting Gray would be an unpleasant chore. He held out the letter; visiting hours were between 8 AM and 1 PM on weekdays only. Aaron would have to miss work and drive across town.

"You need to go," Keeley said gently. "He did kill Lacy for us."

"It's not like I asked him to," he grumbled. "But you're right. I'll call and see what's needed for visitation."

Keeley patted his head comfortingly and offered him more chicken, which he readily accepted. The tension vanished after he ate, and normalcy returned to the Hale household.

Aaron couldn't believe he was actually doing this. The gray prison walls loomed as he approached the first security gate.

It had taken a week to get approved; bothersome paperwork. He'd written Gray to confirm his visit, but wished he could have ignored the letter entirely.

He took a deep breath. He was doing this for his wife and children. Maintaining Gray's goodwill was crucial for their peace of mind once he was released.

Pressing the buzzer, a guard admitted him, requesting his name, ID, and the visitor's name. The guard's expression made the questions unnecessary; everyone knew why Aaron Hale was there.

The guard reviewed visitation rules, granting him an hour before leading him through metal detectors. They beeped because Aaron had forgotten his keys. After removing them, he passed through without issue.

Gray waited at a table in the visitation room, completely surrounded by glass, ensuring constant surveillance.

Aaron expected prison to change Gray, but he looked almost identical, aside from the orange jumpsuit. His hair was styled, and his usual irritatingly suave demeanor remained intact. He looked perfectly at ease, as if they were in a café, not a prison. The contrast with other inmates was striking.

"Aaron! Delighted to see you. I'm glad you received my letter. I hope your family is doing well," Gray said smoothly.

Aaron distrusted him completely, but maintained a cordial façade. "They are. The twins recently celebrated their first birthday. They loved the cake."

"Adorable. A pity I couldn't be there. Do you have any pictures?"

He did. Learning from past mistakes, he documented memories—especially important occasions.

The guard had disallowed phones, but picture viewing was permitted. Aaron showed Gray several photos from the party.

The last picture was especially cherished. The babies were cake-covered; Keeley and Aaron were beside them. Violet had splattered cake on her mother's cheek, captured just as Keeley laughed.

"You each got a mini-me, didn't you?" Gray remarked mildly.

"Violet resembles Keeley at that age. Kaleb is nearly identical to his namesake, except for his eyes," Aaron replied, becoming more talkative than usual when discussing his children.

"Ah yes, named after Keeley's late brother. How is my sister-in-law?"

"She's fine. She's a stay-at-home mom until the twins start preschool."

Aaron, impatient to leave (barely ten minutes had passed), asked, "Is there a reason you wanted to see me?"

Gray smiled, unconvincingly. "I simply wanted to see how my baby brother was doing."

"I thought you'd have done that sooner."

"I was embarrassed. I thought you wouldn't want your children near a murderer, so I waited. But my new cellmate's sister visits weekly, and I decided to write."

Aaron took this with a grain of salt; Gray's honesty was questionable. Regardless, he was here, attempting to maintain peace.

The promotional material at the end of the original text has been removed as it is irrelevant to the text itself.