Finally, Karen spoke.
“Could you turn that down?”
“Sure.”
I lowered the volume.
A few blocks passed.
“You okay?” I asked.
“I’m fine.”
I glanced at her.
“You know, you taught Daniel how to lie better than that.”
Her mouth tightened.
“Alex, please.”
I immediately regretted pushing.
“Sorry. You don’t have to tell me anything.”
She stared out at the blurred lights.
“I don’t know where to go.”
I looked at her.
“What do you mean?”
“My house is the last place I want to be tonight.”
I didn’t ask why.
I simply waited.
After another minute, she pointed toward a road leading away from her neighborhood.
“Could you take me somewhere else?”
“Anywhere you want.”
She turned toward me, and for the first time that evening, I saw the full weight of whatever she had been carrying.
“Thank you.”
I followed the road north.
We drove past closed offices, dark storefronts, and long rows of trees glistening beneath the streetlights. Eventually, the city overlook appeared ahead of us.
