35. Just When You Think…

Elijah

Here I am, lounging in the comfort of my office chair, a half-smile pulling at the corners of my mouth. I’m lost in thoughts of Cammy, and the warmth that fills me is almost tangible. Our relationship has come so far, and when I’m with her, everything seems just a bit better, a little more bearable.

But even as I drift in this comforting mental space, an uninvited thought nags at me. It’s a question, really, and it’s got Ethan’s name all over it. Cammy and I haven’t talked about the future—about what it would mean for Ethan. I’ll have to bring it up tonight; I can’t avoid it any longer.

Just then, my phone shatters the tranquillity, its ringtone yanking me back to reality. I glance at the caller ID and my heart sinks. It’s Ethan’s school. An instinctual dread floods me; it’s a parent’s sixth sense, the feeling that something is deeply, horribly wrong. With a shaky hand, I pick up the call.

“Elijah Somersett,” my voice comes out more strained than I’d like.

“Good day, Mr. Somers