My father was gone, back home I imagined. Questions tumbled in my head. Did my father know who Kalen was to me? Or is that why Kalen told him his name was Jeremy. Or was that the name he gave everyone but me? I stood zombie-like on the fringe of the dance. Jake or John could have left and I wouldn’t have noticed. It wasn’t until the band stopped playing did I come back to myself. I helped put things back with everyone else. I walked my brothers home even though they were old enough to go themselves. I wasn’t sure what my father expected of me and my chaperone duties. So I stood as they went inside. When they opened the door, I saw my father sitting at the table. I turned and walked away not ready to talk to him about Kalen. The hour was late and my other option for lodging was Mary. Not wanting to deal with her and her admonishment if I woke her baby, I trucked on to Violet’s. With every step, I hoped they’d retired to their room by the time I got there. Darkness filled the windows.
