Michael Walked Out of His Office the Day Four-Year-Old Noah Called About a Broken Arm

“Travis hit him with a baseball bat.

Noah’s stuck inside the house.

He’s hiding in the pantry.”

The air compressor shut off at once.

The silence on the line felt heavy.

“I’m on Route 4,” Derek said.

“I’m fifteen minutes from Maple Street.

I’m walking out of the shop right now.”