“When?”
She tucks her hair behind her ears as I pretend to look at my screen. It might be a dead giveaway that my fingers aren’t moving across the keyboard, but they don’t seem to notice.
“A few weeks ago?—”
“Weeks? And you didn’t call me.”
Ex. Definitely an ex.
She looks far too young to be his girlfriend, but who am I to judge? I married a man with several other wives, I’m hardly the world’s leading expert on men.
“I-I wanted to.”
He moves toward her. “But you didn’t?”
“No, and I know how Haze feels, so I didn’t wanna call him.”
Who the heck is she?
“I had no idea you were gettin’ out until next month.”
“Good behavior.”
Definitely prison.
Her head moves, and I feel her gaze on me as I squint at my screen, then move my fingers over the blank email I’m now using as a decoy.
“Come ‘ere.”
Oh, no.
She stops, startled, then swallows hard, folding into his arms.
I just about fall off my seat. I’ve never seen Brew embrace anybody in my entire life, much less a homeless woman who just got out of jail.
Breathe.
This has nothing to do with you. Nothing at all.
“Does your mom know you’re out?”
She pulls back from their embrace. “I- I didn’t want to burden her.”
“That’s not gonna sit well.” As if just noticing her appearance, he adds, “You need a fuckin’ shower and a decent meal.”
“You’re pissed.”
“Goddamn right I’m pissed. Jesus. Why didn’t you call?”
“I-I’ve done enough damage.”
He points in her face. “Don’t give me that. We’re supposed to be family…”
Family as in a sibling? Or family as in an ex?
“I knew you’d yell at me if I came.”
“You know why I’m mad? Because you look like you just pulled yourself out of a dumpster. Don’t give me that crap about wantin’ to do shit on your own. When you’re left to your own devices, this is what happens.”
