Chapter 6

When I got home from the family-services office, Lucy's cereal bowl was still in the sink.

A pink ring of strawberry milk had dried around the bottom.

Her spoon rested on the counter beside it, exactly where I had asked her a hundred times not to leave it.

I picked up the bowl, rinsed it, and set it in the dishwasher.

Then I stood there with the water running over my hand.

Lucy was not gone.

She was attending a two-week evaluation camp.

We had an agreement, an address, and a scheduled call every night.

Her room was still upstairs.