“No.”
“Ma’am.”
“Road conditions are unsafe.”
“We can deploy.”
“You can wait until roads clear.”
“Send one vehicle in the morning.”
The Chief inhaled.
“Where are you?”
She gave the address.
Then:
“And nobody approaches the house tonight.”
“No lights.”
“No convoy.”
“There’s a child here.”
He understood.
“Yes, ma’am.”
She ended the call.
Then called her executive assistant.
Then the Transit Director.
That call was shorter.
“Preserve every dispatch log from tonight.”
The Director sounded confused.
“All?”
“Yes.”
“Mall route?”
“Yes.”
“Accessible reservations?”
A pause.
“Yes.”
The Woman’s voice became cold.
“Especially those.”
She disconnected.
The Single Dad stood in the kitchen pouring hot chocolate into two mugs and tea into one.
The Woman rolled in.
He looked up.
“You okay?”
“Yes.”
He did not believe her.
Did not challenge.
“I found tea.”
She looked at the box.
“That expired six months ago.”
He frowned.
“Tea expires?”
She smiled.
“I’m beginning to understand your soup problem.”
He laughed.
His daughter climbed onto a kitchen chair.
“Do you have a husband?”
The Single Dad nearly dropped a mug.
“Okay.”
The Woman smiled.
“No.”
“Boyfriend?”
“Hey.”
the Single Dad warned.
His daughter ignored him.
“No.”
the Woman answered.
The girl looked toward her father.
Then back.
The Woman understood instantly.
Her eyebrows rose.
The Single Dad closed his eyes.
“Bed.”
“But…”
“Bed.”
She climbed down.
Then hugged him.
Then unexpectedly hugged the Woman around the shoulders from the side.
The Woman froze.
The child stepped back.
“Sorry.”
The Woman’s expression softened.
“No.”
“It’s okay.”
The girl looked at the wheelchair.
“I didn’t touch your chair.”
The Woman smiled.
“You didn’t.”
“Good night.”
“Good night.”
After the child disappeared down the hallway, silence settled.
The Single Dad leaned against the kitchen counter.
“She is not subtle.”
“I noticed.”
“I’m sorry.”
“I’m not.”
That answer made him look at her.
She held the tea between both hands.
“You’re a widower.”
He glanced toward the photographs.
“Four years.”
“Cancer?”
She had seen one hospital picture.
He nodded.
“Very fast.”