***
The house was quiet.
Molly’s shoes sat beside the front door.
His smile faltered briefly.
Her coffee mug was in the sink.
A sweater she’d worn the previous evening hung over a dining chair.
I wanted to throw everything into a box.
Instead, I made coffee I couldn’t drink.
Around noon, I called my mother.
I wanted to throw everything into a box.
“Kevin? Are you feeling better?”
“Not really.”
“Well, Kai’s being mysterious about tonight. He says he has something important to tell us.”
“I figured.”
“Do you know what it is?”
“Kai’s being mysterious about tonight.”
I looked toward the stairs.
“Mom, Molly and I are having serious problems.”
She paused.
“What kind of problems?”
“I don’t want to discuss them over the phone.”
“What kind of problems?”
“Oh, Kevin. Is Molly all right?”
“You can ask her.”
