only ticket to redemption. She'd practically extorted Bo for the address, wearing him down with a ton of tex

ng the

ung open. Ethan stood there in joggers and a gray hoodie, barefoot, his hair scattered an

aga

the cake box like a shield. "Don

o to his kitchen and she

urrowed in concentration, knife trembling like it was her

someone claiming to be repentant, you're d

"Consider this penance. Y

war crimes were pa

rying to make i

s lingered too long on her hands, her nervous fidgeting, the way she was

n't bake it," h

ze. "Ex

I don't recognize Sweet Ritua

ock. You caught me. I lie

ssert fraud. Emotional manipulation a

ate toward him. "Because this is me apologizing, in case

dn't

ugh all this? The cake. The lie. Pressuring Bo

d. She liked being in control. He could see it th

't deserve what happened. So I'm here

t 'nice.'" While holding up his finger

not very good

fast, reckless. His fingers curled a

a switch, his m

baking with his family, hi

hen was

xploded. Seven-year-old Ethan stood on a stool by the counter, clutching an egg with the s

mom prompted, holding

d with importance. "I

d beside him on a shorter stool, licking chocolate bat

inting. "She's licking it b

the corners of her mouth like paint.

m the dining table, where he was trying and failing

ed it!" s

smiled as she turned to Ethan.

side of the bowl with all the grace of a wrecking ball. Half the

he announc

wiping her hands on a towel. "Pret

the yolk in

ttered with a mouthful of

Ethan said, puff

"You're lucky you're cute. If I had a chef lik

hing the mixer whirl the brown-and-gold batter into sof

stretching out his arms to pull both kids in for a chocolate-smeared hug.

nting at the streak of batter across his

iation skills," he sa

ven light glow golden, mesmerized. He could barely wait for the final product, even t

, when the world smelled like sugar and sar

d his sister's giggles, a little boy felt

The memory

d out by his random silence then the sm

rse's business" He re

ared of be

der than it

asked. "What

, then met

repla

ollowed wasn't hea

I dream of writing music one day. Just f

pected." She made a mental no

nk I'm s

a lot behind all that b

ing. It's a

uckled

...

off a nearby console

sorry...I j

inish, footsteps e

ere sh

one

tied too tight, eyes taking in the

ou

a strai

one who embarrassed herself in front o

mouth. "It was a m

nd now you're here, break

Ethan sa

g someone like you near him was a mistake.

did

es burned. He

ot to Ethan,

said. "I know whe

torme

Et

between two worlds. One

t behind her, he looked d

his real

ghi

o