Page 84 of We Are Just Us

Twice.

Kieran’s voice was hoarse from yelling Hank’s name out the window. His eyes were dry and heavy. His hands ached from gripping the steering wheel too tight.

No Hank.

They’d regrouped at Kieran’s house around 5:30 a.m., exhausted, neither willing to say what they were both thinking.

They sat at Kieran’s kitchen table, the overhead light harsh and unforgiving, two cold and untouched mugs of coffee between them.

Mabel lay near the back door, occasionally lifting her head to look at them, waiting for her brother to come home.

“Okay,” Rory said finally, breaking the silence. His voice was rough, tired. “We need a plan.”

Kieran nodded, staring at his hands. “Yeah.”

“You could make flyers,” Rory continued. “Put them up around the neighborhood. Include your number, a picture, maybe offer a reward.”

“Okay. I can do that.”

“I’ll call the San Diego Humane Society when the shelter opens,” Rory continued. “Animal control too. See if anyone picked him up overnight.”

“What time do they open?”

“Ten,” Rory said, checking his phone.

Kieran glanced at the clock. 5:47 a.m. Four hours and thirteen minutes stretched forever.

“We could drive around again,” Kieran offered, even though his body was screaming for rest.

“We’ve covered everything within walking distance,” Rory said gently. “If he went farther than that, someone’s probably found him by now.”

“What if they didn’t?”

“Then we keep looking when it’s light. But right now, let’s focus on what we can control.”

Kieran nodded, not trusting his voice.

The kitchen fell quiet again. The refrigerator hummed. Somewhere outside, a bird started singing, too cheerful and oblivious.

“Rory,” Kieran said.

Rory looked up.

“I owe you an apology.”

Rory waited.

“You were right.” Kieran said it before he could dress it up or soften it or make it more complicated than it was. “About me. About the staying. You were right.”

Rory was still.

“I went on Airbnb that night,” Kieran said. “San Francisco. I emailed a host about a rental. Month-to-month.”

Rory ground his teeth, but he didn’t look away.

“Your exact words,” Kieran said. “I used your exact words. And I didn’t even hear it until Emory asked me what that told me and I couldn’t answer her.”

He rubbed the back of his neck.