She looks at me with a silly smile. “Just don’t take too long getting home.” “I’m just walking down and then back.” “Huh. I thought you’d want to stop by the house to spend some more time with your girlfriend.” “Oh. Diana.” “But you can’t marry her, promise me. We’d have the same name.” Get me out of here. “Yeah, I, uh, anyway, I think she can spare me for the morning.” Mom smiles and kisses my cheek on my way out. I feel dirty for reasons I don’t want to think about. I run to the marketplace. So here’s what I’m hoping. I want enough fish so that I can get some for Dylan without trouble, but I want there to be a few less than usual, so I’ll know that Teeth has been gone all this time because he’s freeing more fish. He’s getting away.
