“This was not a coincidence,” he said. “Someone was looking for you.”
Three days later, Kyle appeared on Aunt May’s porch.
Five years had passed, but hearing his voice made the old fear come back instantly.
“Lena, please. I just want to talk.”
He looked thinner and exhausted.
“How did you find me?”
“I hired a researcher. I’ve been looking for it for over a year.”
Grant stood behind me, but he didn’t take control. He waited for my decision.
Kyle looked at him.
“Who is he?”
“I am her husband.”
“No,” I said. Not in any way that matters.
Kyle asked for five minutes. I agreed to speak on the porch while Grant stayed nearby.
He explained that Brad and Chase had later told the anecdote of the gas station on a podcast. They still found it very funny.
The episode went viral, but viewers reacted with outrage. Some called the abuse joke and began investigating my disappearance. Kyle lost his job, his brothers lost sponsors and several relatives cut off contact with them.
