I had built survival out of competence. It had worked, mostly.
But this was not an ordinary wound.
“I don’t know how to be anything else right now,” I admitted.
Kenneth’s expression softened. “Then be exactly that until you can be something else.”
The elevator doors opened.
Connor stepped inside without looking back.
Melinda paused.
For one fragile second, she and I stood facing each other with Elliot between us.
“I’ll send everything,” she whispered.
I nodded.
“And Kirsten?”
I waited.
“He laughs like you.”
The sentence struck me in a place no legal filing could reach.
Melinda’s eyes filled again.
“I didn’t understand why at first,” she said. “He has this little half laugh, like he’s trying not to smile too much. Connor said I was imagining it.”
I could not speak.
The elevator doors began to close.
Connor reached out impatiently and pressed the button.
