Chapter 362: About Dad

I walked through the front door of Petunia's, mind still turning circles around Malcolm's threat to... what? I had no idea, but he was too far down the dark road for me to think whatever he might have in mind would end well. For him or for Reading.

Daisy stood by the sideboard, looking up from typing something into the computer, her soft flash of a smile barely registering on her beautiful face. I joined her, Petunia huffing her way through the kitchen door to us, settling her fat pug butt on my feet as I impulsively hugged my bestie and took a moment to just stand there in the uncommon quiet of the foyer while she embraced me tightly back.

"Day," I whispered, knowing this was the best time and maybe the worst time to prod her, but needing a win of some kind and tired of missing her light. "Just talk to me, okay? I'm here to listen."