leaving

for work, the echo of his der

n a worn notebook. Her good leg was pr

er eyes searchin

. To

ssed her face, then s

go?" she asked,

t. East, maybe.

her noteb

d to a chair, her dreams shattered, w

quick. There was

worn photo of our parents. Meg's was similar. Seven years in thi

r, then at my blistered hand. These were

rself to her d

roat tight. "As

nous house. Each room held a memory, a sm

e, a quiet child who mostly lived with Brittney, Kevin's on-again, off-again girlfriend. Meg was Liam's biological mother, a fact

m how to aim a toy sl

nd tightened on the

, my voice even

cowling. "Going where? Dad

hind Kyler,

wrong,

pilled coffee," Kyler said,

anymore," I said.

looked small and lo

was her son, a son she barely knew, a son w

his face reddening. "Who will make my bre

cence of it was

r will mana

tney, when she's here?" Liam piped up, parro

another shade of color. She looked at Lia

ake care of you," she said,

to make Dad feel bad so he'll buy you more

ish echo of Ryan's

ler," I said, my voice fir

chair towards

s. "Dad said people like you always co

I pulled the heavy

elt too bright, too cheerful

g else too. A tiny, fr

we had each other.