It had been two weeks since the break-in. The apartment was no longer in chaos, but a stillness had settled in, something only noticeable now that Claude and Kyler had officially moved out.
Tatie stood by the counter, her gaze lingering on the glass jar by the sink. The jar was nearly empty now except for a single crumpled receipt and a folded five-dollar bill. Her lips twitched into a small smile as she remembered the first time Claude contributed to the pantry fund. There, glowing like treasure, sat a crisp 500-dollar bill.
"Is this a mistake?" Tatie had asked, holding the bill up between her fingers.
Claude, lounging lazily on the couch, flipped through a magazine and barely looked up. "Consider it rent for my stomach. You two feed me better than any restaurant."
Kyler chuckled as h
