The Buick’s odometer showed a hundred and ninety thousand miles.

I had driven it through years of school pickups, shopping trips, and family obligations.

That evening, I drove it to Rebecca’s house because it was somewhere Emily could sleep without wondering what she was allowed to say.

PART 2 — The Recording Daniel Kept

Rebecca had cleared a space on the kitchen counter before we arrived.

She set out water, a clean towel, and a plate of chicken without asking me for an explanation first.

Emily sat on a stool and held the cup with both hands.