Page 223 of Safe With You

The realization landed quietly.

I squeezed Mila’s hand without thinking and kept walking.

By the time we came back, another reader was finishing and the room broke into applause.

“Can I sit by you?” Mila asked.

“You don’t want to go back to Auntie?”

She looked toward Tasha.

I did too.

Naomi had returned to the signup table, but Tasha’s attention followed her for another second before she turned toward the stage.

I bit the inside of my cheek.

“No,” Mila said.

“Okay. You can stay with me for a little while.”

She settled into the empty chair beside mine near the counter.

A few minutes later, Jacob appeared.

“Auntie said I could sit over here.”

“Of course she did.”

He dropped into the chair beside Mila.

“You have to be quiet,” she whispered.

“I know.”

“I’m just telling you.”

“I’m eight.”

“What does that have to do with anything?”

I pressed my lips together and faced forward.

Not my business.

Naomi stepped toward the microphone once the applause from the next reader died down.

“Up next, we have somebody some of you might remember from our last Open Mic.”

My attention sharpened before she even said the name.

“Rachel.”

Applause rose around the room.

Rachel took a breath and stood.

Last time, she stayed in her chair for a few seconds after her name was called. I remembered wondering if I should walk over. If I should give her an out. If she was going to decide she couldn’t do it after all.