I pointed a finger at him.
“Don’t start.”
That made everyone laugh.
Dinner wasn’t the one I had cooked at home.
But that didn’t matter anymore.
Mark tried cutting the cake into equal pieces and somehow produced twelve completely different shapes.
Jason began telling a story that had no clear beginning or ending but still made us laugh until Sarah told him to stop because her stomach hurt.
Caleb, always the quiet one, kept looking at Grant’s uniform and shaking his head as though he couldn’t believe it.
Eliza took approximately two hundred photographs.
And eventually, Sarah leaned close to me.
“I really am sorry.”
I covered her hand.
“I know.”
“We weren’t trying to hurt you.”
“I know that too.”
She looked down.
“I should’ve answered your message.”
“Yes.”
That startled a small laugh from her.
I squeezed her fingers.
“Just promise me something.”
“Anything.”
“Don’t let being busy become an excuse for being gone.”
Her eyes shimmered again.
“Okay.”
Later, after dinner, Grant leaned toward me.
“There’s something else.”
I narrowed my eyes.
“If another police officer appears, I’m leaving.”
He laughed.
“No more police officers.”
“Good.”
“My graduation ceremony is next week.”
I stared at him.
“Graduation?”
“Official ceremony.”
