“Not really.”

“Neither is Hannah, but both of you need dinner. Once you start eating, you’ll get your appetite back.”

“Is Hannah mad at me?”

“She’s been acting as your advocate, so I’m guessing the answer is no. Dinner will be ready in about ten minutes. Are you right-or left-handed?”

“A righty with a strong left…at least, I used to have a strong left.”

“You’ll be okay. Being as you’re right-handed, your schooling shouldn’t be impacted.” She waited a moment. “After the appointment, I was going to take you to look for pianos to rent. But if you’re going to move in with your aunt, that wouldn’t make much sense.”

The boy was silent.

“If you want to live with her because she’s your aunt and you’d be more comfortable there, I’m fine with your decision. It’s hard living with strangers. But don’t leave because you think we’re mad at you. Knowing your father, you should be able to stomach a little conflict without buckling.”

“It’s not conflict. I am used to that.” Gabe looked away. “I’m tired of being a burden.”

“If you were a burden, you wouldn’t be here. I don’t do burdens, Gabe, I’m too old. Besides, I don’t have burdens, you have burdens. I’m doing great. And don’t worry about my stress level. I’ve raised two boys. They were always getting into scrapes, although I must admit that I don’t think anyone ever held a gun to their ribs.”

The teen shrugged. “I’m a magnet for trouble. Things just seem to happen when I’m around.”

“It’s not smart to be in a parking lot in that area in the dark. I’m going to call up the school. At the very least, they can put up some decent lighting.” Rina looked at him. “Knowing your father, you’ve probably been around guns all your life.”

He nodded.

“Do you have a gun? If you have one, give it to me and I’ll put it in our gun safe.”

“I don’t have a gun.”

“You wouldn’t be fibbing me, would you?”

“No. I swear. I wouldn’t have used my fists if I had a gun.”

“You might not have been packing, but that doesn’t mean you don’t have a piece.”

“I don’t. Check the room.”

“I might just do that when you’re not around,” Rina said. “I wouldn’t read your personal material like mail and papers, but I’m not beyond looking under mattresses and other hard-to-find places for guns or drugs.”

“I’m not a druggie. I’ve never bought the stuff in my life. I certainly don’t drink. My father’s an alcoholic and my grandfathers on both sides were alcoholic. It’s in my genes, so I don’t go there.”