(“We’re only given so many people in our lives, so many people that will love us unconditionally. Why do you think that is? I think it’s because of times like this, times when you think they are gone and you see just how big of a hole in your heart that you have. And it’s big, isn’t it, Bear? We’re all a puzzle, and when one of us is gone, that piece is missing, and we’re incomplete. You above all others should have realized that.

“You have a chance, a chance to make something for yourself, something that is just for you but that you can share with the rest of the world. How dare you throw that back in our faces?

“The Bear I know wouldn’t let that happen. The Bear I know would kick and scream and claw his way to protect what’s his. The Bear I know would fight. And fight. And fight until he had nothing left in him, because the Bear I know would never give up.”)

—couldn’t even think of a single thing to say.

No, I texted back. It’s fine.

“SHIT,” OTTER said again, standing in the Kid’s room, nudging the orange bottles with his foot.

“Yeah,” I muttered.

He glanced over at me. “This isn’t your fault. This isn’t our fault.”

I shrugged, looking away.

“Bear.”

“We should have noticed. It shouldn’t have been up to some goddamn stranger to show us what was right in front of us.”

“He’s smart. Smarter than both of us combined. He might have made a mistake sooner or later, but he was good. At hiding it.”

I snorted. “A mistake. What do you think that mistake would have been, Otter? Tell me. Would it have been when we find him the next morning in his bed, fucking choking on his own goddamn vomit?”

“Hey,” he said sharply. “I’m not the bad guy here. You don’t need to lash out at me. That’s not fair.”

“God,” I said, pressing my thumbs into the sides of my head. “Fuck. I know. I’m sorry. That wasn’t—I don’t think—”

“We gotta be together on this, Bear,” he said, the hard lines on his face softening just a little. “We can’t be at odds. Not over something like this. He’ll see it. Yesterday, I would have said he wouldn’t manipulate something like that, but….”

“You can’t trust an addict.”

“Addict,” Otter sighed. “Jesus.”

“It’s what his therapist said.”

His eyes widened just a little. “You called her?”

I nodded. “She said that he’s still Ty, but he’s going to try and explain this away. He’s going to try and lie. He’s going to do everything he can to deny it. It’s… what happens. She… apologized. She said she didn’t see this coming at all.”

“He must have waited until he was done with his sessions before he took more,” Otter said, staring down at the bottles.