Noelle knocks on the door five times — her family’s secret code.
No answer.
She’s standing at the side entrance of her childhood home—
A charming 19th century craftsman bungalow tucked into a cozy street in Portsmouth, New Hampshire.
A festive wreath hangs on the door.
She smiles a little, and then unlocks the mudroom door with her key.
She hasn’t used this side entrance in years.
But it feels like it’d be more of an insult to ring the front doorbell like a guest.