His Favorite Shirt novel · Chapter 13 of 24

Chapter 13: Two Frames

It took Brielle a moment to find her smile again.

"Thora," she said. "Good morning."

"Brielle."

Posy had already let go of her mother's hand and was looking up at me, delighted.

"You're wearing Nolan's shirt," she said. "It goes to your knees."

"It does," I said.

"Mommy, Thora's wearing a boat shirt."

"She looks warm," Brielle said. "It suits you, Thora. Really."

She meant every word of it to cut, and she said it softly enough that Posy only heard kindness.

I stood on the step with my arms crossed over his shirt and did not apologize.

I had spent three years apologizing to this woman for things I never did.

"Are you coming to my birthday?" Posy asked. "It's the ninth of May. I'm going to be seven and I get a cake with a boat on it."

"Posy," Brielle said.

"Mommy said no, but I'm asking you anyway."

"I'd like that," I said, and I meant it.

Brielle's hand closed on her daughter's shoulder.

"We're going to get pancakes," she said. "Say goodbye."

She turned the child toward the path, and then she looked back at me over her shoulder.

"Nolan is wonderful at being a safe place," she said. "I'd only ask what happens when August comes."

She walked Posy away before I could answer.

At the bend in the path Posy turned and waved with her whole arm.

The sun caught her left eye, green with a brown fleck at the edge, and I saw it all the way from the cottage.

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