“To work? Ever, it’s a high-demand position, they need all the law enforcement they can get, and there are survivors who know me and recommend me. It’s why we have this apartment.”

“I don’t care about the apartment, Mom!” Ever’s voice took on a higher pitch. The apartment rattled.

“You just said you liked it.”

“I just said I don’t care! I care about you breaking your promise to me! I care that you get unhappy when you work! I care that you get meaner! I care that you’re gone all the freaking time, and you break even more promises to me!”

“I won’t. I told you I’d keep my word and I will.”

“You just broke your word, Mom! You said things would be different!”

“They will. Now please stop shouting. You’ll bother our new neighbors.”

“On my last day of school, my last day of school—before everything ended! You were late, dropping me off, because you worked late and you drank! And you got mad at me! And then I got in trouble with the school for being late! They made me stay after school, remember? To get my report card and diploma for my grade?”

“I remember, Ever. I apologized.”

“While my friends were happy the year was ended and talking about summer camp, I was being punished for you bringing me to school so late all the time! How shitty is that!?”

“Don’t swear,” the response was almost automatic.

Ever’s voice broke. “I don’t get a freaking choice, Mom. When you bring me to school late, or when you divorce Dad, or when you aren’t there to relieve the babysitter and they get pissy. I’m stuck with you, I have to go along for the ride, whatever you do.”

“That’s going to change.”

“You just said it won’t! You said if you got superpowers you would go back to doing what you did before! I thought, hoped, maybe you were just doing it temporarily, or to get the apartment, but it’s for good!?”

The entire apartment rattled. Gaps were visible in the spaces where things moved apart.

The woman turned her head to look at it all. “If you’d let me explain my rationale…”

“Explain, not discuss? Talk about it? Is there any chance, any at all, that you’d give up this job? Is there anything I can say that would change your mind?”

“I’m giving it a lot of thought that I haven’t until now.”

“But are you capable of changing your mind?” Everlyn asked. “No, don’t answer that. Change your mind, right now. Just tell me you’ll keep your promise.”

“That’s… not fair.”