“That man fired you for helping me live long enough to see my grandchildren again?”
I gave a tired smile.
“When you put it like that, it sounds bad.”
“It is bad.”
I rubbed the back of my neck.
“Well, what’s done is done.”
She studied me for a moment.
Then her face gentled.
“What is your name in full?”
“Sebastian Carter.”
“Sebastian Carter,” she repeated, like she was committing it to memory. “My name is Evelyn Parker.”
“Nice to meet you properly.”
She squeezed my arm.
“No, it isn’t. It’s awful to meet you under these circumstances.”
I laughed again, weakly.
She nodded toward my box.
“Before you go upstairs and pack your things, would you have a few minutes to talk?”
I looked toward the stairs.
Looked back at her.
“I guess I’ve got plenty of time now.”
That got a sad smile out of her.
