So. Long(55)

She turns toward her dresser and yanks the towel off her head, running her fingers through her wet hair.

Her reflection’s gaze finds mine from the mirror. “It’s fine. I’m a big girl. I said I wanted it just like that. So you’re in the clear. No worries. This is on me.”

I step behind her and pull her against me. “For all I know, I could be shooting blanks. I mean, I was injured, and things were cut deep.”

She cocks her head, giving me a skeptical look.

“The doctors said it’s a possibility that scar tissue would form and I wouldn’t—that I might not be—fuck.” I push my fingers through my hair. “They said I could be unable to—you know, father a child.”

Saying the words aloud for the first time clogs my throat; I cough to clear it.

She takes my hands and pulls my arms from around her. “Okay. Thanks for telling me. I’m sure it’ll be fine. Like I said, no worries.”

“Kelsey—”

She turns to me, flattens her hands on my chest, and gives me a push. “Adam, just go.”




I back out through the front door dragging a tarp filled with broken pieces of sheetrock and torn out insulation. Half-way down the walk, I stop.

A little girl stands on the sidewalk at the end of my driveway, staring.

Dropping the corner of my load, I turn to her.

Her strawberry hair is a tangled mess, even though her clothes seem clean enough. Her little arms hang loose at her sides. She seems familiar, but I don’t remember seeing her around the neighborhood.

I continue dragging the trash to the dumpster I’ve rented while I gut the interior of the house. The girl’s gaze never leaves me.

Once I finish tossing the crap into the bin, I check the area to see if there’s an adult anywhere that belongs to this kid. I give her a smile.

“Hey, how are you? I’m Adam. Where’s your mom or dad?” I squat in place, avoiding approaching, so I don’t frighten her. Though, she looks anything but afraid.

Rosy cheeks dimple as her smile widens. She points to Kelsey’s place.

Oh. Yeah. I knew she looked familiar.

Kelsey’s got pictures of this kid all over her house. Wonder if Kelsey knows she’s outside by herself.

I stand and hold out my hand. “C’mon. I’ll take you to your mom before she gets worried.”

Her tiny, warm hand slips into mine, as easy as you please. Glad she didn’t happen upon some creeper guy instead of me.

She stops at a little, flowered suitcase with wheels lying on its side on the grass right next to the sidewalk.

I nab the bag and lead her up the walk next door.

As I lift my fist to knock, a male voice booms from inside, “To hell with this.”

The girl cringes as she latches onto my leg, her little arms holding tightly as she peeks around my thigh. Doe eyes look up at me as though she expects me to fix it.

Something in my heart trips over itself.

Then the man says, “Fuck this shit. I’m out of here. You can take that kid and shove her up your ass. I’m not paying a dime. I’d rather quit my job and live on the fucking street.”

I bang on the door, probably a little harder than I need to. But I don’t want whatever’s going on in there to escalate before I get between Kelsey and whoever-the-fuck is yelling at her—her ex, from the sound of it.

A couple of muffled comments come through the door as Kelsey opens it.

Her eyes widen, and when she looks down, her jaw drops. “Clarissa, what are you doing with Adam?”

A tatted-up, blond guy pushes past Kelsey but stops short before he tries to plow through me. He looks me up and down, probably assessing whether I’m a threat.

Let him lay a hand on Kelsey, and he’ll find out what kind of threat I am.

He’s no wimp, and he’s about my size, but I’ve got no doubt I could take him.

I push little Clarissa behind me and invite the guy to pass. “Don’t let me block your exit. Sounds like it’s well past time you left.”

His glare hardens for a moment before he looks over his shoulder at Kelsey. “You know this guy?”

Kelsey reaches for Clarissa, gently maneuvering her inside. “Yes. This is Adam, my—my neighbor. Adam, this is Matt, my ex.”





Matt strides down the walk toward his car.

I call out to him, “Why didn’t you tell me you had Clarissa with you? And you left her in the yard?”

A wave of his hand high in the air is the only acknowledgement I get that he even heard what I said.

I pick up Clarissa.

“Sweet girl, I missed you.” I give her loud smooches on her cheek and snuggle my face into her neck.

She smells a little sweaty and sour. Matt must’ve had her for the night and failed to make sure she got a bath.