“The security system has audio near the break room. Not all of it, but enough.”
“Keep it.”
“I already saved a copy.”
Owen leaned the broom against the wall.
“I photographed her plate.”
“Good.”
“If she returns,” Caleb said, “she does not enter the gate.”
“She will not get near him again.”
My promise came out too forcefully.
Caleb studied me.
“You cannot stop every person from causing stress.”
“I can stop her.”
“Yes.”
He placed a hand on my shoulder.
“But you also need to stop yourself from believing protection means controlling every door.”
I wanted to reject that.
I couldn’t.
“I nearly lost it.”
“You didn’t.”
“I stood up.”
“You stopped.”
“Not because I chose to.”
“Choice can arrive with help.”
Owen emptied the broken ceramic into the trash.
“She wanted you angry,” he said. “Made it easier to call you dangerous.”
I looked toward the ceiling.
“I gave her what she wanted.”
“No,” Caleb said. “Noah told her no. That’s what she’ll remember.”
“He shut down.”
“That is what his brain did after she attacked every vulnerable part of his life.”
