He looked smaller then.
Not innocent exactly, but young.
Young enough to have been shaped by adults and old enough to begin choosing whether to stay that shape.
I opened the door wider.
“You can come in for ten minutes. Then I’m calling your mom.”
His eyes widened. “Please don’t tell Dad.”
“I won’t hide you from your parents, Tyler. That wouldn’t be safe.”
He nodded miserably.
Inside the bag were two candy bars, a pack of gel pens for Emma, and a small dinosaur keychain for Noah.
“I paid with my own money,” Tyler said.
Noah stared at the dinosaur.
“It’s not a present from Grandma,” Tyler added. “It’s from me.”
Emma did not take the pens right away.
“You made me cry,” she said.
Tyler’s face crumpled in shame.
“I know.”
“I cried in the car.”
“I’m sorry.”
“You laughed.”
