Chapter 20 - THE BREAKFAST TABLE
Gabriel walked out of federal custody at 9:17 a.m.
The boys ran toward him.
Noah reached him first.
Eli second.
Owen launched himself so hard Gabriel staggered.
I stood several feet away.
Gabriel held all three.
He looked older.
Leaner.
Quieter.
But when he looked at me, I saw the man from before everything went wrong.
Not the old Gabriel.
Something different.
“Hi.”
he said.
“Hi.”
Owen looked between us.
“Are you going to kiss?”
“No.”
I said.
Gabriel laughed.
Owen sighed dramatically.
“Adults waste so much time.”
We left before reporters arrived.
Adam remained behind to investigate Michael.
Gabriel wanted to help.
I saw it in his face.
Then he looked at the boys.
He made another choice.
He got into my car.
That mattered more than he knew.
We drove to the house I had bought outside Boston.
Not an estate.
Not a penthouse.
A normal home with a porch.
The dog attacked Gabriel with affection.
He nearly fell.
Owen laughed for five straight minutes.
Gabriel looked around.
“This is home?”
“Yes.”
“For them?”
“For us.”
I realized what I had said.
Gabriel noticed.
He did not comment.
Smart man.
That first evening was awkward.
Beautiful.
Painful.
Real.
Gabriel did not know where anything belonged.
He tried to load the dishwasher incorrectly.
Noah corrected him.
He used too much detergent in the washing machine.
Eli laughed.
He burned chicken.
I ordered pizza.
At bedtime, Owen refused to sleep.
“Dad might leave.”
Gabriel sat beside him.
“I’m not leaving.”
“You always say things change.”
“They do.”
“So maybe you leave.”
Gabriel looked at me from the hallway.
Then back at Owen.
“I’ll be here when you wake up.”
“Promise?”
Gabriel hesitated.
I understood why.
Promises had become sacred to him.
“Yes.”
“I promise.”
Owen slept.
Gabriel remained in the chair beside him for another hour.
I stood in the doorway.
“You can move.”
“I know.”
“You’re allowed.”
“I know.”
“Then why are you still sitting there?”
He looked at Owen.
“I’ve missed enough.”
I had no answer.
Later, we sat on the porch.
Gabriel drank coffee.
I drank wine.
The silence was not uncomfortable.
That was new.
“Adam called.”
Gabriel said.
“Michael?”
“Yes.”
“Where is he?”
“They don’t know.”
“Do you want to go?”
Gabriel looked toward the upstairs windows.
“No.”
The answer came easily.
I looked at him.
“No?”
“Adam has federal agents.”
“Michael knows how to contact me.”
May you like
“If he needs me, he will.”
“And if he’s
