Page 47 of Every Breath After

Mrs. Montgomery and Mr. Montgomery share a look of surprise.

“Come on,” Momma says gently.

Rememberin’ my manners, I yell out to the Montgomerys thank you, and climb into the backseat, bucklin’ up. Momma makes sure I’m secure, and closes the door.

I look up at the house through the window just as Momma pulls out of the driveway. On the second floor, a head appears in the one window. Frizzy brown hair lit up gold around her head where the light hits.

Izzy waves, and I wave back.

Friends. I made friends.

It’s not until a little later, when I’ve had my shower and am changed in my pajamas, and Momma’s tucking me into the bed we’re sharing at Mrs. Linda and Mr. Gavin’s house, that I realize what JJ was saying before he went back in the house.

“Jeremy!” I blurt, my eyes bulging. He was telling me his name. Not JJ, but Jeremy.

I don’t know how I know that’s what he meant. I just do.

“What’s that, kid?” Momma says, crouching down next to the bed. She brushes my damp hair back.

“I found Jeremy, the boy from the song,” I tell her, grinning.

Her mouth twitches. “Oh?”

I nod, and then my face crashes down with a scowl. “People are mean to him too.”

Momma’s eyes crease, and her mouth thins. “I’m sorry to hear that.”

I shake my head. “It’s okay,” I rush out. “It’s not gonna happen again. He has me now.”

She smiles, tilting her head.

“What?”

Her eyes are red now, like she might cry. She shakes her head. “Nothing, just… I’m proud of you, kid.”

I open my mouth, close it, then?—

“Dad…Dad wasn’t always nice, was he?”

Her eyes widen, and this time her head shake is a lot slower. “No. No he wasn’t.”

I swallow and nod, thinking back on Mr. Gavin twirling Mrs. Linda around in the house. Then, earlier, watching Mr. Montgomery kissing Mrs. Montgomery on the cheek, calling her beautiful.

“I won’t turn bad on you, Momma,” I whisper. “I promise.”

Her face breaks, her breath hitching with a sound that’s a sob and laugh at the same time. She leans over, hugging me to her, squishing me.

“We’re gonna be alright, kid.”

And I nod.

“I love you.”

“Love you too,” I tell her, tapping my fingers along her back.

E sharp.

F sharp.

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