Chapter Colin Adams
COLIN ADAMS
I didn’t mean to sound like a complete wreck while talking to Isabelle, but I don’t know what came over me. Of course she knows her daughter and what’s best for her—I was the problem, turning something simple into a full-blown scene.
I tried to get back to work, but my mind kept circling back to Hanna. I couldn’t figure out why I was so worried. She wasn’t my responsibility, after all.
Then I heard the door to my room open, and there was Joshua, standing in the doorway, staring at me.
He hadn’t come in here for a while—he usually avoided even walking past his sister’s room, which was right next to mine.
“Where’s Hanna?” he asked right away, straight to the point.
“She’s got a fever, so she stayed home,” I said. Still, I felt a flicker of relief that he’d come by. Even if it was just to ask about her, it was something.
“Okay.”
“I see you two have become good friends,” I said, seizing the opportunity to keep him talking.
“Yeah. She kept bugging me, so I gave her a chance.”
“Gave her a chance?” I couldn’t help but smile at the way he said it.
“Yeah.”
“I’m glad you two are getting along. I don’t want her to replace your sister. Hanna’s your friend. My friend,” I said carefully. Talking about Maddison around Joshua was always tricky. They’d been so close, and any mention of her usually brought that familiar flash of anger to his face.
“Okay,” he said simply. “She told me she’s gonna ask you to play with us sometime.”
That caught me off guard. I never imagined Joshua would bring up something like that—not if it involved me. In my head, my son hated the idea of sharing space with me, let alone playing together.
“And will you let her?” I asked.
He looked off for a second, thinking. Then he said, “If she wants to, yeah.”
I didn’t say anything, just watched him for a moment. My son looked so much like me. And yet, I barely spent time with him. He avoided me, and I… I avoided him too. I knew it was wrong, but there are some demons inside me that just won’t let go that easily.
After a few seconds, he nodded and started to close the door slowly.
“If you need me, you can come find me,” I said quietly.
Joshua just glanced back at me, said nothing, and walked out.
I didn’t let it bother me. For once, we’d talked—no yelling, no tension. That was progress. Real progress.