“Vividly,” I said, leaning against the counter. “You broke my Lego Death Star.”
And for the first time in years, I believed in the word.
She took a breath. “I’m here because I didn’t know where else to go. My boyfriend—ex-boyfriend—he got… mean. Not at first. But by the end, I was scared. And Mom’s in Florida with her new husband who doesn’t like me. And Dad’s…” She trailed off. Step Sis Came to Live With Step Brother to Get ...
“Yeah,” I said, stepping aside. “It’s yours.”
“No more frogs in my backpack.”
“You put a frog in my backpack.”
This time, her laugh was real. Small, but real. “Vividly,” I said, leaning against the counter
She almost smiled. Then her face crumbled, just slightly, around the edges. “I’m not here to get back on my feet, Mark.”