“We need to talk about what prom is costing Sadie,” I said, keeping pace beside him as he passed the hardware aisle.

“I gave her twenty bucks for pizza on Sunday,” he said without turning his head.

“I told her I’d see what I could do about shoes later.”

We came out through the automatic doors into the bright, cold morning sun.

Rory pushed the heavy cart up to the bed of his truck and dropped the tailgate with a loud metal crash.

“I picked up Sadie’s school bag yesterday,” I said, moving closer to his driver’s side door so the yard workers couldn’t hear.