Dave glances at my discarded key for a few seconds before giving me a sad smile. “Chin up, buttercup. I’ll see you later.”

“Later,” I whisper as he takes the stairs to the main level. Grabbing the one suitcase I brought up with me, I wheel it into Dave’s apartment, shut and lock the door, and collapse onto the sofa. I don’t need a bed or even a shower at the moment. I just need to sleep to escape the pain for a few hours.

The next day, we say a final goodbye to Swarley with a proper burial, a tree planted next to him, and lots of tears. Dad and the Deedy arrived last night and stayed at a nearby hotel to give Sydney’s family the privacy they needed to break the news to the kids. They planned on getting married before making the trip to California, but life tends to laugh at plans.

It’s presumptuous of humans to think we have one bit of control over what happens in life. I may be a little angry at the moment.

“We are going to the beach. Lautner took a personal day. Thought it would be a good idea to spend the day with the kids. Take some pictures. I haven’t had my camera out in a long time. Dad and Deedy are staying here, but you should come with us.” Sydney puts the brunch leftovers in the fridge while I wash the dishes, staring out the window at the Deedy standing next to Ocean by Swarley’s grave just beyond the fenced-in pool.

Ocean hugs Deedy, wiping her teary face on Deedy’s sundress. They’ve bonded quickly. Good for Ocean; she’s more mature than her Aunt Avery. I bet she’s never thought about Deedy and Papa naked, doing things that could cause Papa to have another heart attack. Her innocence is enviable at the moment.

“I need to find a job.”

“Lautner said you need to see a physical therapist about your hand.”

“Those cost money.”

“We’ll loan you money until you find a job and get some health benefits.”

I shake my head as Sydney retrieves a towel from the drawer next to me and dries the dishes. “I’m not looking for charity. Well … I could use a place to stay until I get something figured out.”

“Stay? What do you mean? Where did you stay last night?”

“On my neighbor’s sofa. Actually …” My lips twist. “I suppose ex-neighbor since I no longer live there.”

“Ave …”

“Gone.” I draw in a shaky breath, keeping my focus on the sudsy serving tray in my hands. “All of my stuff was gone. Anthony took everything.”

“What? He can’t do that. There’s no way everything in your apartment was purchased by him. You need an attorney, Ave. You can’t just let him get away with this.”

“Yeah, well … attorneys cost money too.”

“We’ll pay for—”