moved before his
ng Debra's shoulders. His grip tightened until she wince
roat, ragged and wrong. "Call her right
tumbled back, rubbing her shoulder. Her eyes were d
d the tr
man walking her dog crossed to the other side of the street. Anderson didn't see her. Hout as a bark. "Car accid
a point somewhere near his shoes. H
ici
Anderson swayed. His palm found the brick wall beside the e
ic
me gallery opening, surrounded by people in clothes that cost more than his rent. She'd l
g red. She'd look
even as he spoke them. "Elianna wouldn
rom where it had fallen. Dust smudged one corner. She held i
inched like
voice had gone mechanical, reci
permission. The weight of it felt wrong. Too hea
's in
flicked away. "And guardi
ad snapped up
s drew together, confusion replacing h
een
counters at family events he couldn't avoid. Fifteen years of Elianna cut
d old enough to drive, to
had known
. Because he'd walked away from that funeral fifteen years ago and never looke
he'd beli
e street, toward a black sedan idling at the corner. "My obligatio
ai
beats. The car door opened before she reached it, a driv
ffic. Exhaust fumes washe
ing the taillights disappear. The morning cold finally
, unshaven, clutching a brown paper envelope like a life
He pushed through, into the lobby's arti
d wall. His reflection multiplied, infinite pale men in wrinkled coats, all h
gs gav
e envelope crinkled against his thigh. He pressed his face into his hands, and the
r chimed. T
tears across his skin. He stood, straightened his coat,
metal slid home. He pushed into his apartment, kicked
on his coffee tab
eathing hard, waiting for
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