April Joke, Permanent Scar novel · Chapter 10 of 24

Chapter 10: The Truck

Seth's POV

I have sat across from a lot of people on their worst day, and I know the face people make when something breaks.

Hannah wore it when she came out of that kitchen.

She was holding a white envelope against her chest, and her hands were perfectly steady.

That frightened me more than shaking would have.

Beth drove the suitcases to her place, and I stayed on the porch of her house with Hannah while the light went orange.

We sat on the top step, a careful two feet apart.

"Did you know?" Hannah asked.

"Know what?"

"What's in here."

She did not hand it over, and I did not ask to see it.

"I don't know what's in there," I said. "But I think I know what kind of thing it is."

She turned her head.

"Tell me."

I looked at my boots.

"Two years ago, in March, Dylan called me on a Tuesday morning. He said his car was in the shop and he needed a ride to an appointment. A work thing, he said."

"Where did you take him?"

"The fertility clinic on Pine Street."

Hannah did not flinch.

"I thought it was for you," I said. "I figured you were in there, that he was dropping you off. Then he told me to stay in the truck."

"And you stayed."

"For an hour and ten minutes."

I made myself keep going.

"He came out and got in without a word. His eyes were red. I said, 'You okay, man?' and he said it was allergies, and he told me to keep it quiet. He said, 'Hannah doesn't need to know I came.'"

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