“I promise.”
“And if you hurt her, I will make your life miserable.”
I smiled.
“There he is.”
“I’m serious.”
“So am I.”
He stood and walked toward the door.
Before leaving, he turned around.
“Mom asked about you.”
I froze.
“What did you tell her?”
“That you’re an idiot.”
“That’s fair.”
He smiled.
Then he said, “You should go see her.”
I waited until he had left before allowing myself to breathe properly.
For three months, I had stayed away from Karen because I believed it was the only way to protect Daniel.
Now he was telling me that perhaps protecting him did not mean abandoning her.
It meant allowing all of us to grow up.
I grabbed my keys.
The Second Chapter
The bookstore was supposed to close at nine.
I arrived at 8:54.
Through the front window, I saw Karen behind the counter, arranging a stack of books.
