“Like he saw my name on the account and pretended it was a suitcase.”

I wanted to promise that he would understand someday.

Instead I said, “You have every right to be hurt.”

Selena looked at the whiteboard.

“Are we still helping Mia with her essay today?”

“Absolutely.”

That afternoon, as Selena coached Mia through an opening paragraph, Gavin stood briefly at the doorway.

Nobody asked him to leave.