If they’d traveled again, I might have watched to see where they went. If they’d gone to one of the smaller equivalents of Hollow Point, it might have told me something. If they met certain people, it might have proven out my suspicion.

They went to get ice cream in the dinky one gas-station town, and I couldn’t conscience staying to watch.

I flew home.

⊙

I let myself into Crystal’s apartment through the sliding balcony door.

“…ave site?” a male voice.

“Whenever I’m traveling in that direction,” Crystal said.

“That’s good to hear. I keep meaning to travel out that way, but…”

“It’s a universe away. I can go with you sometime, if you want.”

“That might be nice.”

I shut the balcony door. I could have closed it silently, but I didn’t.

Crystal, standing at one corner of the living room, had the door open, but she stood in between the door and doorframe in such a way that her body filled the gap. She twisted around to look at me, and I saw a forcefield start to be painted out.

“It’s okay,” I said.

The forcefield winked out.

“You sure?” she asked.

I nodded.

She opened the door wider. My dad was in the hallway, wearing a sleeveless top with a hood, in a very light fabric, and yoga pants of similar light weight. A gym bag sat on the floor by his feet.

“You’ve been flying,” he said.

“Yeah,” I said.

“That’s good,” he said. “That’s really positive.”

“I guess,” I said. “How are you?”

“I’m noticing how empty my apartment feels, a lot. That’s not me trying to guilt you. It’s me realizing where I’ve wound up and wondering how I got myself here.”

“Yeah,” I said.

“Do you want to invite him in?” Crystal asked. “I can fuck off if you need me to. Or you can take over door duty?”

“I wouldn’t ask you to fuck off in your own place. Are you getting tired of standing guard?” I asked.

“A bit.”

“We can invite him in.”

My dad entered the apartment. “Sorry to drop in.”

“Is that what this is?”

“I worry, when you drop all communication. I thought I would at least ask Crystal if you were okay.”

“I see,” I said. I walked around behind the couch, putting it between myself and him, and leaned forward on the back of it.

He took a seat on the armrest of the armchair, one foot on the ground. “I want you to know that what happened at your mom’s house, I’m sorry about that. It wasn’t right.”

“I appreciate that. I… I wish I could tell you that I was sorry for how I reacted there. But I don’t know if I can.”