ng break w

it meant turkey,

meant a con

had bee

et a job at the diner, or you don't come back aft

duating high school. M

ome that Wedne

t of me thought she

old. Smaller th

t the door,

el

ol. I'm doing well. I c

do they?" Her voice was hard. "I tol

peeked around her

" I said, my voic

chose no r

g to the door. "Get your th

backpack with some c

drifted from the kitchen. It was a smell I

't watch

licked shu

. The November

sometimes left a side door unlocked for t

a spot in a dark corner of the gymnasium, curle

eps. L

lights fl

aped. Had I

these tables set up f

cheerf

unt

e myself small

I saw

a

– his mom, probably – and an older man.

about something,

scanned

stop

m

died. His f

ar

teps quick. His parents loo

g here?" he whispe

es. "My mom... she, uh

nded so stark

anything for

" He stood up,

he

ou're not st

? Who's this?" Her voice

rom school. She nee

ike Jake's, softened with p

e said, a firm edge to his voice

o Jake, then sighed.

their house

was a mansion, set back from

e. A huge Christmas tree, already decorated, stood in

t was bigger than my entire old a

id gently. "We'll figur

of the softest b

cr

school, Jake found me

me a brown

tra," he said,

wich, an apple, a

h for breakf

f the break, and when school started

d my mom. He neve

st fe