Chapter 18: If They Only Knew

Garin was busy grading terms papers. There were only a few weeks left before the end of the semester and it showed in his students' papers. He groaned as he found another plagiarized essay. It appeared as if one student wrote at least five papers. He took a long swig of the amber whiskey at his elbow, the ice cubes clinking gently.

He couldn't stay focused. He kept thinking about Willow's kiss last night. She kissed him desperately. He didn't know why, but it felt like not only their first but also like she was trying to tell him goodbye. Maybe he was reading too much into it. He kneaded the back of his neck and looked at his watch. He had been grading for over three hours. Time for a break.

Stretching he stood and wandered downstairs, hoping that there were leftovers in the fridge and no family members anywhere. His hopes were dashed when he saw them sitting at the dining room table, speaking in hushed tones. When they saw him, they went silent. Everyone left except his father.