Chapter 5

My knuckle got scraped when I took off the ring.

Blood streaked the silver band, dark red and stark.

I dropped it into Johnny's box of odds and ends.

His shirts, razor, old books, and charger were all lined up neatly inside.

When morning came, the doorbell rang urgently.

Johnny stood outside, his face stormy.

Jasmine was beside him, wearing the gray scarf I'd knitted for Johnny.

I'd messed up that scarf three times before I got it right.

When Johnny first wore it out, he laughed and said it was scratchy, but he never took it off all winter.