No contact with Noah except through whatever legal process Noah himself might later choose once he was an adult.

The divorce became final the following year.

I did not celebrate.

I went to work.

Shelved books.

Helped a seventh grader find a biography for history class.

Ordinary.

Perfect.

PART 50 — REDEEMING THE WATCH

After the house sale settled and I received what remained of my equity, I went back to the pawn shop.