By the time I got home, the sun was already fully out, slipping behind the clouds, smearing the sky with dusky orange streaks.
I lingered outside the front door for a second longer than I should have, gripping the keys like they might explode if I turned them too fast. I already felt the pressure building behind my eyes like a headache waiting for its cue.
I stepped inside, and the first thing I saw was Olivia—sitting on the couch, her little girl Lily curled up beside her, looking tired and worried. The moment our eyes met, her shoulders stiffened. Mine too.
"Where is he?" I asked, dropping my bag by the door and toeing off my shoes.
Olivia stood up slowly, arms crossed, mouth pressed in that familiar tight line. "He's not here. He went to stay with a friend. Said it's safer until things calm down."
"Safer?" I scoffed, brushing past her toward the kitchen. "He's lucky. I would've bashed his head against the damn wall if I saw him."
