“I’m fine, Charlotte. Just thinking. Chewing over what happened.”
She sighs, lays her head on my knee. “Where’s Michael?”
“Out back somewhere I think. Burning off energy and grief.”
“Looking for something to hit.”
“I’d imagine so, yes.”
“Do you think he’ll be okay?”
“He’s in a kind of shock. With what Ben did… I thought Klempner was a moral low-point, but…” I run out of words.
She nods slowly, her face rubbing against my leg. After a while, she says, “Where do you suppose my father is?”
“Who knows, Charlotte? Who knows?”
“Wonder if we’ll see him again?”
“I think so, yes. But I wouldn’t like to guess how it will happen.”
*****
Michael…
He’s depressed…
What can I do?
Change of scene maybe?
*****
“Charlotte, I was thinking, we’re about due for your road-trip.”
She pauses, ha
