e's around here somewhere." He made a vague gesture toward the back of the l

rooms. They're all empty. We're doing a full sweep of the building. So I

dmired, not questioned. "I told you, she's independent. She likes to do her own thing.

a picture of me that was bo

voice as if sharing a painful secret. "She has a temper. She probab

were really just adventures with Sarah. I remembered canceling my own important client meetings because Sarah had a "crisis" and Ethan needed to rush to her side. I remembered biting my tongue a thousand times when he belitt

h a look of pained loyalty. "She's jealous. She doesn't understand that we've known each other since

alous wife. He had completely abandoned any pretense of looking for me. In his mind, I was already a problem that had conveniently s

eturned, holding a small, sno

near a large rock formation," the ranger said

ir of gloves, and then he paused. He reached back in and drew out a small, folded

from the pamphlet to Ethan, his eyes har

saw his mind working, the gears of denial grinding. Sarah,

oarse whisper. Then, louder, with forced confide

re?" the ra

a look of profound pity on her face. "Chloe was always... imaginative. She probably p

a ball. He tossed it into the fireplace, where it was instantly consumed by the flames. "It's irrelevant,

murmured, his back to the entire room, his back to the memory of me. "Let's get you some more tea." It was a grotesq

heavily on a cane. His face was weathered, his eyes a pale, watery blue. He wore a simple flanne

Da

slow, deliberate step forward, his limp more pronounced in the tense silence. He didn't speak. He

ingle word a silent shout in

sion to outright contempt. He didn't understand sign language. He had

n someone get him out? He's upsetting Sarah." He actually tried to wave my