Brett’s parting words that day had kept him up at night and woke him up every morning — it was a good thing that he worked and that coffee was a thing that existed, because by the time Saturday rolled around, he was a walking zombie. Sure, he had gone out the night before with Colton and Caden and had gotten plastered, but it was something other than Brett’s parting words that dragged him out of bed today.

She had a doctor’s appointment.

Also Claire had called him to remind him but he also suspected that had something to do with the fact that she also wanted bail. “You look like shit,” she told him before hopping out of his truck, “but at least you took a shower.” And then she flipped him off and walked away.

Toby had gotten to their doctor’s office early — maybe a little too early — and had taken a seat in the small waiting area where a couple sat watching their toddler smack blocks together on the ground and another guy around his age sat reading a magazine. Toby didn’t have any magazines and his phone had been on the verge of death this whole entire week for lack of caring to even charge it. Just as his head fell back against the wall and his eyes drifted shut, a pair of shoes and a perky voice broke over the sound of the yapping toddler and the secretary on the phone. “Mr. Belfront! Nice to see you again. Where’s Brett?” she asked, looking to him with a warm smile as she looked up from her clipboard.