Charles listened without much reaction, his expression calm and unruffled.
Finley leaned over, teasing, “You’re a little too chill about this, don’t you think?”
Charles just shrugged. “When you’ve worked in a hospital as long as I have, you’ve seen just about everything. This isn’t even that outrageous.”
If Daniel had been the least bit less composed, he probably would’ve coughed up blood by now. He summoned what little energy he had left and spat out a single word: “Get lost.”
Finley grinned. “If we leave, who’s going to keep you company?” After taking a moment to digest the dramatic turn of events, he asked, “So, Daniel, what’s next? You’re going to get divorced, right?”
Charles paused, drink halfway to his lips, and looked over at Daniel.
Mr. Campbell, usually so poised and self-assured, looked like a shadow of himself. He ignored their stares, lost in thought, as if caught up in some memory.
Suddenly, he asked, “Do you guys remember me talking about that girl with the bangs?”
Finley shook his head, totally lost, but Charles seemed to recall. “Yeah, you mentioned her a few times. Wasn’t that during summer break, when you went with your granddad to his friend’s house? You said there was a pale little girl there—always standing up for others, charging in like a firecracker whenever someone was getting picked on.”
Daniel lifted his hand, long fingers sketching shapes in the air, as if tracing her outline.
“She grew up. Changed for the worse.”
Finley was still confused. “And…?”
Daniel dropped his hand, the outline vanishing.
A bitter smile tugged at his lips.
She might have changed, might be all kinds of trouble now, but even so…
…
Sure enough, Daniel went quiet after that. He didn’t call, didn’t text.
Amelia asked Robert, “Anything strange going on around you?”
Robert replied, “Nope. It’s all quiet here.”
Too quiet, really. Unnaturally so.
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