“He knew it was completely over when you met him at the park bench,” Paige said.

“You gave back his electrical tools calmly without yelling or starting a fight, and he knew you were never coming back.”

On the front of the stainless steel refrigerator, held tight by two blue round magnets, hung Maddie’s purple flower drawing.

The bright purple petals stretched to the edges of the white paper, vivid against the cold steel.

By six-thirty, twilight was settling over the buildings across the street.

Paige lifted a framed picture of the Columbus riverfront off the living room floor.