When he finished, Ethan jumped down and immediately headed for the door.
“Mom! Can I get a quarter for the candy machine?”
Before I could respond, he was already outside, staring through the glass at the machine.
Marcus brushed the loose hair from the chair.
Then, without looking straight at me, he quietly said,
“Check behind his left ear.”
I frowned.
“For what?”
A customer had just walked into the shop.
Marcus lowered his voice further.
“When you get home. Somewhere private. Look carefully.”
My stomach tightened.
“Marcus, what did you see?”
He shook his head.
“Not here.”
That was all he said.
I paid.
Took Ethan home.
And spent the whole drive watching him in the rearview mirror.
He appeared completely normal.
He was talking at full volume again, excited because the candy machine had apparently given him two gumballs instead of one.
Ten minutes later, we were standing in our kitchen.
“Hold still,” I said.
Ethan immediately looked concerned.
“Did he mess up my haircut?”
“No. I just want to check something.”
I moved the hair behind his left ear.
At first, there was nothing.
Then I noticed a tiny flesh-colored patch tucked into the crease behind his ear.
