Page 33 of Redemption

I give her a gentle nudge. "We will."

It feels like a promise. And sitting here, surrounded by the people I care about, I know it’s one we’re definitely going to keep.

CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

CALEB

When I wakeup in the morning, I'm greeted with an empty bed and a quiet house. Everyone else was home with me yesterday, but today is Monday, and while all of them have gone to work and school, I'm left with a day on my own.

It used to be these days were the worst. I would play back over and over again, the situation that broke Ruby and I up used to live rent-free in my head.

But today feels different. I've made peace with a lot of those old memories. The sun filters through the blinds, casting warm patterns on the floor, and I decide it’s time to change into my workout clothes and head to the gym.

As I walk in, I spot Nick by the bench press. He's a solid guy, not just in build but in character. We've known each other for years, and it’s always good to catch up with him. He sees me and waves me over.

“About fuckin’ time, dude.” Nick grins, setting the weights back.

“What the fuck ever, ready to lift?” I ask, settling next to him.

“Always. But first, let’s tackle the treadmill for a bit. Need to get this old heart racing,” he chuckles, patting his chest.

We hop onto the treadmills side by side, setting a steady pace. As our feet drum against the belts, I turn to him. “So, how's everything? How's Darren?”

“Oh, he’s doing well. A little too eager to start driving, though,” Nick replies, a mix of pride and exasperation in his voice.

“Teenagers, huh?” I chuckle. “Feels like just yesterday he was first coming to stay with y'all.”

Nick nods, smiling. “Tell me about it. Now, he’s talking about saving up for his first car. A whole new chapter.”

“Exciting, but nerve-wracking, I bet.”

“Absolutely. I’m both looking forward to it and terrified. You know how it is.”

“I can imagine. What’s he thinking of getting?”

Nick laughs, shaking his head. “Something sporty, of course. I had to remind him he’s still got a year to go.”

“Good luck with that,” I say, glancing over at him. “At least you’ll get to bond over it, though.”

He nods again, his expression thoughtful. “Yeah, it’ll be good for us. We haven’t had much time for each other with everything going on.”

“You’ll make it work. You guys always do.”

We continue to run in comfortable silence for a while, lost in our own thoughts. It’s nice having Nick around to talk through things. Life may throw challenges our way, but having a friend who understands makes all the difference.

As we slow to a walk, I turn to him. “Thanks for this, Nick. I needed it.”

“Anytime, Caleb. We’ve all got stuff to deal with. Better to face it together.”

With that, we step off the treadmills, ready to tackle the weights, and I feel a renewed sense of purpose. There’s a worldoutside my thoughts, friends to support, and a future to look forward to.

CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

STEPHANIE

Tonight,I worked later than I normally do. I sent Ruby home a few minutes ago so that she could get to her family earlier. Since I don't have what she does, I work a little longer when necessary. No matter how badly I want that for myself, there's nothing that indicates I'll have it at any point soon.

I'm so deep in thought with my ear bud in one ear. It's the only thing I can blame on what happens next.

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