“Ezra.” He said the word with such loathing, even Julia flinched. “A little while ago. He came to try to make me go back home with him. But I told him I wouldn’t go, Mama. I said he wasn’t my father, and he couldn’t make me. That’s when he hit me.”

Julia threw her arms around him and hugged him close. “My poor little lamb. I don’t know what’s gotten into the man, I swear to the Lord. He was very upset this morning, honey. It’s my fault. I should have handled him better.”

Justin pulled away from his mother. “I don’t want to see him ever again.”

“Honey, that’s foolish,” Julia said. “He is your father, in all the ways that count. Even if he struck you like that. You have to give him the chance to apologize to you. By now he must be very upset with himself for doing it.”

Justin had a mulish expression on his face. “I don’t have anything to say to him.”

“Just do what I tell you.” Julia’s sharp tone surprised both Justin and me.

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Come with me.” Julia turned and walked away. Justin, after a quick glance at me, trailed after her. I wasn’t sure forcing Justin to talk to Ezra right now was a good idea, but Julia would no doubt have brushed aside any objections I could raise.

I moved to the small waiting room and sat down. Resigning myself to an indeterminate period of twiddling my thumbs, I wished I had brought a book with me. Or Diesel.

Diesel was confused when I told him he had to stay home. He went almost everywhere with me, except to church, and he knew today wasn’t Sunday. He sat in the kitchen, watching as Justin and I went out the back door to the garage. I knew he’d still be sitting there when I came home again.

I glanced around me. There were only a couple of other people in the waiting room, an anxious-looking elderly woman and a man who had to be her son. He had the same nose, the same angles to his face. He kept patting his mother’s hand, speaking in low tones, but she didn’t seem to be hearing him. Who were they here for? I wondered. Her husband, his father? I hoped whoever it was would be all right.

Julia appeared in front of me, blocking out the harsh fluorescent lighting for a moment. I looked up into her face, not surprised to see the weariness and anger there.

“How is Ezra?” I asked as I stood. I motioned Julia to the seat next to me, and she sank into it like a woman twice her age.

“Are you okay?” The stiffness of her movements worried me.

Julia grimaced. “Just getting old, Charlie. And tired.”