At twenty-five, she had stopped being angry.
By thirty, she rarely thought of him at all.
Now she sat at her mother’s old desk in the basement of 114 Aldridge Street staring at the initials C.B.
Ruby stood beside her.
“Was he really your best friend?”
Claire nodded slowly.
“We grew up in this building together.”
“Where did he live?”
“Fourth floor. Apartment 4A.”
Mr. Harris smiled faintly.
“Caleb and Claire were inseparable.”
Mrs. Alvarez folded her arms.
“Until they became teenagers and started pretending they weren’t.”
Claire gave her a look.
“Please don’t make this more interesting than it was.”
“I make no promises.”
Ruby looked delighted.
Nathaniel, however, remained focused on the document.
“What happened to him?”
Claire shook her head.
“I don’t know. He left.”
“When?”
“About twelve years ago.”
“Before or after your mother died?”
Claire thought.
“Before.”
“Before the cooperative collapsed?”
