He took his wall calendar down from the side of the refrigerator.

Next month was completely empty.

He laid the heavy paper calendar flat on the counter beside the budget sheets.

Michael stared at next month’s blank page, his pen hovering over the dates.

He pushed the tip of the pen into the paper and drew a heavy blue circle around December fourteenth.

Then he shut his red ledger of custody dates and reached for his car keys.

The bell over the door of the Oakridge Diner jingled at eight sharp the next morning.