Chapter 74

“Hello there. I’m sorry to disturb you. I’m Mark Stevens, a friend of Drew’s.”

“Mark drove me home, Ma. I decided to keep the store closed today after all.” Drew embraced his mother briefly. “Everything will be okay.”

“I know,” she said.

“Mark, this is my mother, Betty Kiyoto.”

She turned to Mark and offered her hand. “It’s nice to meet you, even today. Are you the one Drew has been having coffee with?”

“Yes, that’s me.”

Mark turned when he heard the approach of footsteps. A tall, very thin Japanese man came into the front hall.

“And my stepfather, John Kiyoto.”

“Nice to meet you, sir.”

Drew’s stepfather smiled and shook his hand. “Thank you for bringing Drew home. I would have picked him up.”

“It was no trouble. But I should get going. I don’t want to intrude and I do need to get back to work.”

“I’ll walk you out,” Drew said. “Be right back.”