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Robert Colt: In general, they don’t have to be speaking in long or complex sentences, but they do need to be able to communicate needs. They grow a lot in that first year, so even if they’re a little bit behind, they might catch up.

Howard Young: Good. I was worried we might need to see a speech therapist.

G Singh: Full sentences? Is it not normal to have debates with a five-year-old?

Howard Young: Debates? They argue coherently already???

Robert Colt: Don’t worry about G. His kids are NOT normal and are causing him to go gray.

Over the next two weeks, Jade made it an art form to avoid me, and I let her.

I was busy with the girls anyway.

It had been yet another tough night. Beatrice was silent, and Agnes fought with me on everything. After weeks of this, I wasn’t sure if it would ever end.

When Alice was alive, she would always tell me how tired she was, even if she got eight hours of sleep. I never fully understood what she meant until now.

This was bone deep. It was emotional in a way I wasn’t used to. I worked hard and tried my best at everything I did.

But this time, I felt like I was failing at something far more important than a video game. I was failing two people.

My life was on hold, and I didn’t know how to restart it. When I wasn’t with them, I worried about them. And when I was with them, I was messing everything up.

Every chore felt far more difficult than the last, and even something as simple as going to the store was a mess.

Storms rolled in, and the weather finally matched my mood.

The sun had set a long time ago and rain came down heavily. There were rumbles in the distance that had brought me to the window of the apartment, and I knew I needed to get to bed.

My dreams wouldn’t be pleasant if I did, though.

I was content to watch people come and go. Hugh left the bar with his black umbrella that was older than I was. Shortly after, Atticus followed.

I wondered what they talked about in there. The taste of conversation I’d gotten since returning made me want more. Over the last two weeks, I hadn’t had time to talk to anyone, and there were plenty of people that I’d grown up with that I hadn’t said hello to.

The urge to join was tempting.

I stayed still.

Then the bar door opened one more time. The fairy lights illuminated everything just enough so I could see purple hair.

Jade used her hands to try and block the rain, but it was useless.

The best thing to do would be to stay here. She told me to stay away from her, and I tried my best to listen.

But it was pouring, and the late summer rain was unusually cold. It had to be miserable being out there.

I grabbed my own umbrella and ran over anyway.

Jade blinked when the rain stopped and she looked over at me. It wasn’t big enough for the two of us, so I was getting pelted.

I didn’t care.

“What are you doing?” she asked.

“Here, take this.”

“Were you out? Where are Agnes and Beatrice?”