“I will,” Ethan said without hesitating.

My father zipped his coat, nodded once to me, and walked out through the open apartment door.

We followed him out to the courtyard, the evening cool settling over the brick walkway.

My father opened the door of his gray sedan, got in, and started the engine.

The headlights clicked on, casting two long beams of warm white light across the quiet street.

Ethan stood beside me on the curb, his arm resting gently across my back as the sedan pulled away.