The Photographer's Return novel · Chapter 5 of 24

Chapter 5: My Little Family

I looked at that caption until the burrito went cold in my lap.

Then I zoomed in on Milo.

His nose had stopped peeling. He had a new shark-tooth necklace.

He looked happy.

I threw the rest of the burrito away and walked back to the motel.

I didn't call. Not that night.

I told myself it was the time difference.

On Tuesday I worked my first shift.

I sold film, cleaned lenses, and taught a retired dentist how to load his late wife's Pentax.

Bean made me laugh twice before lunch.

She did it by force, sitting on the counter making goose noises at me until I gave in.

At six the shop closed.

It was nine in the morning in Bali.

I sat on the back step with my phone and called the number on Milo's watch.

It rang five times.

"Hello?" He sounded out of breath.

"Hi, baby. It's Mom."

Silence.

Behind him I could hear waves, and music, and a woman laughing.

My sister.

"Are you having fun?" I said. "I saw the picture. You look so brown."

"Aunt Kenzie got me a necklace."

"I saw. It's very cool."

"It's a real shark tooth."

"Wow."

Another silence.

I could feel him getting ready to go.

"Milo, I miss you. I want you to know I'm in Tahoe, where I took the big picture, the one on Dad's sign. I'm working in a camera shop. There's a girl here named Bean who'd like you."

"Dad says you ran away."

"I didn't run away from you."

"Dad says you're having a breakdown."

My throat went tight.

"I'm not. I promise. I'm okay. I'm better than I've been in a long time."

"Aunt Kenzie is more fun than you," he said.

He said it flat. Not mean.

Like he was telling me the weather.

"Aunt Kenzie takes me surfing. You just cook gross stuff and cry."

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