Once they were seated in the restaurant, Riley reached for his glass of ice water, and pulled out an ice cube with his spoon. He popped it into his mouth, and started to absently chew on it, as he watched the waitress clean the tables across the room. There weren't too many customers. The restaurant was air conditioned, and well decorated. Under normal circumstances, he would be thrilled to go out to a nice restaurant like this. It was such a rare thing. But he kept thinking about what his father had told him about getting remarried, and how his fiancée was going to have a kid. He'd never had a sibling before. He wondered what that would be like.

"You'll break your teeth chewing on ice like that," Nolan said, glancing up at him. "Dental work is expensive."

Riley pressed it into his inner cheek, sucking on it. He gave his father a dark look, slouching down in his chair. "Like you care," he muttered under his breath.

"I care a great deal about you, Riley," Nolan said. He stared at him from across the table. "Stop sulking, and sit up straight."

Riley reluctantly sat up a bit straighter, averting his eyes. He glanced over his dad's shoulder, hoping that Nolan wouldn't notice what he was doing. Riley saw that Ben was still sitting in his car, parked near the entrance. Riley and his father had been in the restaurant a good ten or fifteen minutes at this point, and Ben had stayed in his car that entire time. Riley wondered if his friend was going to stay out there, or come into the restaurant. He was pretty far away, so Riley couldn't see him too well, but it looked like Ben was on the phone. Finally, he watched as Ben got out, and walked up to the restaurant, hands in his pockets.

Riley frowned, forcing himself to bring his attention back to his father. Nolan was studying the menu, squinting a little. His head was bent, curls falling into his eyes. Riley's eyes slid back to Ben, watching him enter the building, using one hand to push his swooping dark hair out of his eyes. Ben scanned the room furtively, and his eyes fell on Riley. He smiled, nodded at him. Riley nodded back, before dropping his gaze down to the plastic-coated menu.

"D'you know what you're getting?" Nolan asked. "Are you ordering off the menu, or getting the buffet?"

"I'm getting the buffet," Riley said, standing up hurriedly. "It smells great."

"Okay," Nolan said. "Yeah, I'll do the same."

Nolan's phone rang, and he glanced down. Riley saw Caitlyn's name on the display. He glanced up at Riley, distracted. "You go on ahead. I've got to take this," Nolan said, waving him off. He answered his phone. "Caitlyn? Hey, honey."

Riley walked over to the buffet, relieved that his father had taken the phone call. He hoped his father would be distracted for awhile. It would give him a chance to talk to Ben. He grabbed a plate and fork, and started to slowly fill his plate. He picked up the tongs, and grabbed a few chicken balls. He looked up, watching as Ben spoke to the waitress for a moment, then approached the buffet. Riley smiled at him.

"Hey, I'm glad you're here. My dad's on the phone, so we probably only have a few minutes to talk," Riley said. "I don't think you should let my dad see you with me. I don't think he'd like it. He'll probably recognize you from school."

"If anyone asks, we don't know each other. I'm just a customer, filling their plate at the buffet," Ben said, with a smile. He grabbed a plate from the end of the line, and went behind Riley in line. He started to slowly fill up his plate with different items. "So, what does your dad want?"

"He's getting married, apparently," Riley said, quietly. "Dad's got a pregnant fiancée. And get this - he says I'm moving back to Iowa."

"Seriously?" Ben gave him a concerned look. "Riley- "

Riley set an egg roll on his plate. "I refuse to go. I wanna stay here."

Ben glanced around, and saw that Nolan was still seated at the table, his back was to them. He didn't want Nolan to see him. He didn't think that the man would be happy seeing him talk to Riley. And he certainly didn't want the man to cause a scene like he'd done at the school.

Riley glanced up at him, his blue eyes wide. "Did you get a hold of my mom?" he asked. "Did you tell her about my dad being in town?"

Ben shook his head. "She hasn't answered yet. But I'll keep trying. I texted her the address of the restaurant, so she'll know you were here."

"Okay, well. Dad says we're going to the apartment afterwards. So, if you get a hold of her, just let her know where we are."

"Yeah."

Riley took a few more items, hovering a little so he could continue talking to Ben. There were only a few people in the restaurant, so he didn't feel rushed at all. He glanced up at Ben.

"Thanks for following me," Riley said. "It was reassuring, knowing you were there."

"No problem." Ben smiled, as he used the tongs to grab some noodles. "I was worried about you."

Riley glanced over at his father. The man had hung up the phone, and pushed the menu aside. They had maybe thirty seconds, tops. Riley sighed, annoyed. He'd hoped that his father would have a longer conversation with Caitlyn, but it'd only been a few minutes.

"Oh, crap. My dad's finished his phone call. You should probably clear out," Riley said, anxiously. They were cutting it too close. He was certain that his father would see them. "I'll call you when he gives me my phone back."

"Okay." Ben glanced over at Nolan for a second, making sure he was still facing away from them. Then, he leaned down, and kissed Riley. "Call me."

"I will." The corner of Riley's mouth twitched upwards, and he watched as Ben winked at him. Ben grabbed some cutlery, then walked over to his table across the restaurant, and sitting down.

Riley took his plate to his table, and started to slowly pick at his food. He wished that he and Ben could eat together. From where he sat, he couldn't even see Ben. He was too far away. Riley let himself daydream for a moment, imagining that he and Ben were sitting together, having a date. His Dad was still in Iowa where he should be, and everything was fun and romantic. Candlelit dinner, bottle of champagne, the kind of fancy dinner he'd seen on movies. Maybe a big bouquet of roses.

Riley was pulled from the daydream, when Nolan returned with a plate of food. His dad sat down, and pulled his chopsticks out of the thin paper wrapping. He pulled them apart with a loud crack, then started to rub them together. Nolan set about eating his meal, loudly slurping up the noodles in a way that set Riley's teeth on edge.

"Alright, so we should discuss wedding plans," Nolan said. "I want everything to be perfect. Caitlyn and I, we've already started planning the big night. But I wanted to go over everything with you."

Riley dug into his food, only half-listening as Nolan continued talking. He had never been to a wedding before; they looked boring. This was going to be a long night, if Dad was going to insist on discussing wedding songs, and seating arrangements, and all that. Riley yawned.

It was dark out by the time they got to the apartment. They had stayed at the restaurant for awhile, then Nolan drove around for awhile, checking out the area. Ben had been following them for a short while after the restaurant, but at some point, Riley looked back and realized that his friend was gone. That really sucked, especially since Dad still hadn't given him his phone back. He wondered if Ben had decided to head on home, or if he'd lost track of Nolan's rental in the heavy traffic.

"What a dump!" Nolan exclaimed, as he parked in the lot. He stared disdainfully at the corner store. "I can't believe Andrea would pick such a crappy apartment."

"It's all we can afford right now," Riley said, annoyed. "I like living here."

"When you get to Iowa, you'll realize I've made the right choice for you," Nolan said. "It's clear that your mother doesn't have the financial means to care for you. She's practically abandoned you, leaving you on your own like this. That townhouse Caitlyn and I are getting – "

"Dad, I don't want to leave." Riley frowned. "I like Maryland. I wanna be with Mom. I have friends here. I'm happy here."

"You'll make new friends. There's plenty of kids in Iowa," Nolan said, with a shrug. "Iowa is your home."

"It's really not," Riley said, shaking his head slightly.

As they got out of the car, Riley glanced up at the apartment. He was hoping that his mom would be home from work already, but the lights were all off. He sighed, frustrated. He reluctantly went up the narrow staircase, unlocked the door, and let his dad into the apartment.

It felt weird and intrusive, having Nolan stand in the living room. Nolan was standing very still, looking around the room, taking it all in with a critical eye. Riley liked the apartment. It was a bit cluttered, but in a lived-in sort of way. The furniture was mostly from thrift stores, an assortment of items they'd picked up once Andrea had secured their apartment. Some of it had been bought at yard sales, like the living room lamps, and the plaid armchair.

"Home sweet home," Riley said, sarcastically. He set his bag down with a thump, and kicked off his shoes. "Don't get too comfortable. When Mom gets home, I'm sure she'll tell you to get lost."

Nolan gave him a funny look. "Let's go through your wardrobe. I wanna see what outfits you have for the wedding. If you don't have anything nice, I'll take you shopping when we get to Iowa. Get you a nice, respectable suit, and a decent tie. You'll need some fancy dress shoes, too. You're not wearing high tops to the wedding."

Riley sprawled out on the couch. He took off his glasses, and flung one hand over his eyes to block out the light. It had been a long night. He was definitely starting to get a headache. If his father hadn't shown up, he could've stayed at rehearsal. He could have hung out with Donny, or Ben afterwards. Maybe Ben could have slept over, and they could've rented a movie, or played a board game, or something. Dad showing up like this, it ruined everything.

"Couldn't you just like, send me some photos of the wedding?" Riley asked. He hesitated. "I don't see why I have to be there. Why do you even want me at the wedding? It's got nothing to do with me."

"Because you're my son." Nolan crossed his arms, and stared down at him. "I'm your father, whether you want to acknowledge that, or not."

"I'm getting a headache. If you want to wait until Andrea gets back, that's up to you," Riley said. He stood up abruptly, putting his glasses back on. He turned on his heel, and started to walk away. "I'm done. See yourself out."

"Riley," Nolan said, exasperated. "Sit back down."

Riley continued down the hallway, ignoring his father. He had had enough. Dad showing up like this had made a perfectly good day go sour. He had sat through the whole long dinner with him, listening to his father drone on and on about the damned wedding – and he still hadn't gotten his phone back. And he hadn't been able to hang out with Ben.

"Hey!" Nolan hurried in front of Riley, and blocked his way. "Hey, I'm talking to you."

Riley froze up. "What?"

"Don't walk away from me like that. You're being disrespectful. We need to make sure you've got an outfit for the wedding," Nolan said. "Can you show me to your bedroom? I just want to see what outfits you have."

Riley sighed. He pointed down the hall to his bedroom. "Come on, I'll show you."

Riley went to his bedroom, and flicked on the light switch, and stepped inside. He watched as Nolan entered the small bedroom, and looked around. Nolan took in the dresser, the posters, everything. He walked over to the computer desk, studying the small toys, and everything. He picked up the framed photo of Riley and Andrea from when they'd first arrived in Maryland. They'd spent a week at a motel while she looked for an apartment. The place had had an outdoor pool, which Andrea had loved. Riley had dipped his legs in a few times, but otherwise, had read his books in one of the big lounge chairs. He was sunburnt in the photo, wearing his thin striped tank top and board shorts, squinting in the hot sun. And Mom was all freckly from the sun, wearing her favourite two-piece bathing suit. Riley liked that picture. It always reminded him of the relief they'd felt to be on their own, despite not having a fixed address yet. It had been freeing. A new state, a new life.

"You can go ahead and look at the outfits in my closet, if you want," Riley said, lifting his chin. "But that's not a guarantee that I'll be going to your wedding."

Nolan went and opened the closet. He peered in, looking at the half dozen clothing items on hangers. It was pretty sparse. A pair of black slacks, a white ironed button-down shirt, a few ties, and some sweaters and suit jackets.

"This is it?" Nolan scoffed. "That's all you have?"

"Yeah," Riley said. The clothes in his dresser were mostly jeans, hoodies, and t-shirts. Nothing fancy – certainly not for a wedding. They were the clothes he wore on a regular basis. "That's it."

"Okay, well, I'll take you shopping, then. I can't have you wearing these things at my wedding. They look dated. Are they thrifted?" Nolan asked. "I can tell they are. Look, the hem is all frayed. And it's got a small hole in the front. You can't wear this."

"Dad, you shouldn't have come here," Riley said. He fidgeted, watching Nolan take one of the items off the hanger, inspecting it further. "Your new fiancée might be a good person for you, and it must be exciting that she's going to have a baby, and all. But that's got nothing to do with me. Andrea's my mom. I'm not going to live with you, or Caitlyn – even if she's going to be my new stepmom. I've got friends here. I'm not leaving my school, to go to Iowa. I like Maryland."

"You're a minor. It's not like you have a choice." Nolan wasn't looking at him. He was looking around Riley's bedroom, head tilted slightly to the side. "You won't be needing most of this. Pack a suitcase, we're travelling light."

Riley stared defiantly at his father. "No."

"Now, Riley." Nolan said. "We don't have much time. I want you to be ready to go out the door by the time she arrives. You two can say your goodbyes. Then, we can go straight to the airport, and I'll get our flights changed to tonight. When does Andrea get home from work?"

"Soon." Riley looked away, feeling like he was betraying his mother by revealing anything about her schedule. He regretted letting his father into the apartment. It felt like Dad was using him as pawn, trying to get back at Andrea. "I'm sure she'll be home pretty soon."

"Start packing, then."

"I thought that you said you'd be in town for a few days," Riley said. "What's the big rush?"

"I'll get the tickets changed," Nolan said. "It's clear we need to get you out of here."

"Can I have my phone?"

"No. I'll give it to you when we land in Iowa. C'mon, Riley. Grab only what you need. Some clothes, toothbrush, whatever. Toss it in your schoolbag, and we're getting the hell out of here," Nolan said. "Leave all the heavy stuff, like your books, your computer, and your Lego sets. You're too old for toys, anyway. We can get you a new computer in Iowa."

"I'm not packing anything. And I'm definitely not leaving until I talk to Mom. She would never let me go live with you like this," Riley said. "It took her years to get me and her away from you. I know she'd never agree to this."

Nolan left the room for a few minutes, returning with Riley's schoolbag. He unzipped it, and tossed out the binder, and textbooks. "Take only what you need. A few sets of clothes, toothbrush, and all."

Riley sat down on the edge of his bed, and stared down at the floor. "I'm not packing anything until I talk to Mom."

"You're a stubborn ass, you know that?" Nolan said. "You're too much like your mother."

"You say it like a bad thing," Riley said, hugging himself. "Mom's a good role model."

"And I'm not?" Nolan said, bitterly.

He could feel his dad's eyes on him, but he refused to look up and meet his gaze. His bedroom normally felt a bit small, but with Nolan standing there, the room felt half that size. Riley took a shuddering breath. There was no way in hell that he was going to pack a bag, and travel out of state with his father. He didn't care if Nolan thought he was being bratty, or stubborn. This was his home. He wasn't going to leave willingly.

"If you take me without Mom's permission, you'll be technically kidnapping me. I'll tell the airport staff, and they'll call the police," Riley said, looked up, making eye contact with his father. "You want to end up in jail, for kidnapping your kid?"

"You're bluffing," Nolan said. He didn't look entirely convinced, though. "You'd never tell the airport staff anything."

Riley stared at him. He'd hate to have his father get arrested. Caitlyn, and the new baby would need Nolan. But if the price for staying in Maryland with Mom, and Ben, would mean that he had to get his father arrested for abducting him, then so be it. Could he do that? Riley thought that he probably could. As much as he hated confrontation, he would definitely get the police involved.

"You want to take that risk?" Riley asked. He jutted out his chin. "Fine. Take me to the airport, see what happens."

"You shouldn't make empty threats."

"I don't." Riley scooted back a little on the bed, and pulled his legs up. "Trust me, it's not an empty threat."

"Fine," Nolan said, with a sigh. "If you're not going to pack your stuff, I'll do it for you. But you can't really complain later if we've left behind your lucky sweatshirt, or jeans or whatever."

Riley watched while Nolan impatiently looked around the room, then went to the dresser. He pulled open one of the drawers, and started to dig around. Riley watched from the corner of his eye, as Nolan picked out a few t-shirts, and tossed them onto the bed. He pulled open another drawer, and started to sift through its contents.

Riley sat up straighter, when he heard the unmistakeable sound of someone walking heavily up the staircase leading to the apartment. Then, the grating sound of key in lock. Mom was home. Oh, thank god. He flew off the bed, dodging around his father, and Nolan tried to grab Riley's arm.

Riley came to a stop in front of his mother, slightly out of breath. "Mom! Why didn't you answer your phone!" He said, frustrated. "I tried to call you earlier! Did Ben get ahold of you? Why didn't you pick up?"

"Riley, slow down. I forgot my phone on my nightstand when I went to work today. I'm so sorry, honey." Andrea froze when she saw how upset Riley was. She dropped her bag on the floor, and went to him. "Ri, what's wrong, sweetheart?"

"Dad's here." Riley squinted up at her. "He showed up at school, took me out of rehearsal. Dad caused a huge scene in front of the cast. And he yelled at Mr. Foster!"

"What?" Andrea blanched. "Nolan's here?"

"Yeah."

Riley wrapped his arms around Andrea, and hugged her tightly. He squeezed his eyes shut, as she hugged him back. They stayed that way for a moment, before he took a step back.

Andrea frowned. "Riley –"

"Is it true that Dad's getting married?" Riley demanded. "He told me about how he's marrying Caitlyn, and that they're having a baby. Dad wants me to pack my stuff. Is he really taking me to Iowa? Do I really have to go with him?"

"Over my dead body." Andrea grabbed his hand, and squeezed it reassuringly. "Riley, he can say whatever he wants. But at the end of the day, you're my kid. We stick together."

"Through thick, and thin," Riley automatically recited. "I know."

"Where is he now?" Andrea asked, her eyes darting around the small apartment. Her mouth was a thin line, brow furrowed.

"In my room," Riley said, gesturing vaguely toward the bedroom. He frowned. "He's packing a bag for me, said we were leaving when you came home, so I could say goodbye to you. Did he really write letters, asking if I could come live there for a while? Did he send me a wedding invitation?"

"He did." Andrea hesitated. "I told him you weren't going. I didn't think it was appropriate. Given how he hasn't even tried to keep in contact with you since the divorce, and how stressful things had been before we moved, I told Nolan that you needed to stay here, with me. I don't want any disruptions in your schooling, and you've got friends here. It's not right, making you move like back to Iowa. Besides, we both know how he can be. Nolan is volatile."

Riley nodded, and was about to respond. Riley and Andrea both turned their heads sharply, watching Nolan as stalked down the hallway towards them. He had a dark look on his face. Riley gave his mother a worried look. Andrea squeezed Riley's shoulder, and pushed him slightly behind her.

"What the hell are you telling my son?" Nolan barked at her. "Saying I'm volatile, that it's not appropriate for him to be with his father? You're always trying to turn him against me."

"Get out, Nolan."

"He's my son, Andrea!" Nolan said, raising his voice. "I have a right to have my son at my own wedding. The fact that you didn't even ask Riley if he wanted to go, or give him any of the letters reflects poorly on you as a parent. You're keeping him from me."

"I don't want to go!" Riley said. "You shouldn't be here!"

"You don't get to decide, Riley," Nolan said, annoyed. "This is between me, and your mother."

"It's like I said in my letter, Nolan," Andrea said, one hand on her hip. "Riley will not be attending your wedding. He's in the middle of the school year, and he's got the play coming up this week, which means a great deal to him. He's happy here. You spring something like this on us, and expect that we'll just rearrange our schedule for your benefit, and pull him out of school. His schooling is important. Riley's going to go to a great University, and be successful. He can't do any of that, if you pull him out of school, and move him back and forth across the country. I'm his primary caregiver. Don't forget that I have full custody."

"How could I forget?" Nolan asked, giving her a dark look. "You never cease to remind me."

"We can discuss if Riley will come to visit you and Caitlyn this summer, or maybe next. But only for a week or so. It hinges entirely on if Riley is comfortable with the arrangement. If he has any doubts about visiting you, he has every right to back out. I need assurances that if I send my kid to you for a short visit, you won't suddenly decide to keep him permanently, or get bored of him, and leave him stranded at the airport or something. Riley needs stability. He's my son, and I won't have you trying to change him, because you think he's too soft, or whatever. Riley is perfectly fine the way he is."

"A week is far too short a trip." Nolan frowned. "I want him for the full two months. It's the least you can do. Make up for lost time. I'll make sure he's back in Maryland in time to start the school year."

"No way." Andrea shook her head. "Two months? Are you out of your mind?"

"Andrea!" Nolan glared at her. "Why are you being so difficult?"

Andrea glanced from her son, to her ex-husband. She sighed, then dug through her pocket, and pulled out a ten-dollar bill. "Riley, here. Go down to the store, buy yourself a sandwich for dinner. I need to talk to your father in private."

"Mom -"

"It'll be okay." She gave him a weary smile. "Stay in the store with Henry. I'll come get you when we're done. And no slushies, or candy. It's past your bedtime already; you'll be up all night at this rate."

Riley took the money from her, then hurried to put on his shoes. He grabbed his hoody. By the time he was hurrying down the creaky staircase, Riley could already hear his parents' raised voices. He wondered what was going to happen between his parents. After everything he and mom had worked for, it felt like his whole world was up in the air. He hated that feeling. He hoped desperately that Andrea wouldn't back down, and give in to Nolan's demands.

The wind had picked up considerably. Riley slipped into his hoody, and zipped it up to his chin. A few fat droplets fell on his upturned face, and Riley shivered. The trees were swaying heavily from side to side, the turned leaves rustling loudly.

Shoulders hunched, Riley went and pulled open the heavy corner store door, listening to the familiar jingle of bells above his head. Henry was behind the counter. He glanced up, smiling broadly when he saw Riley.

"Hey Riley," Henry said. His smile slipped a little when he saw the expression on Riley's face. "Oh, no. What's wrong?"

"Hey," Riley said, walking towards him. He leaned his elbow against the counter, giving him a glum look. "My dad's in town. He showed up at my school this afternoon, totally unexpected. He's upstairs now."

"Oh." Henry gave him a concerned look, setting down his crossword book.

"Yeah. My mom is super angry at him. They're having a big argument right now, which sucks."

Henry frowned. "I've never met your father, but from what you've told me, you two aren't on the best of terms."

"Understatement of the year," Riley said, sarcastically. He sighed. "I haven't seen him in two years."

Henry nodded. "That's a long time."

"Yeah."

Henry reached under the counter, and pulled out a plastic container of blue and green candies, and pushed it gently towards him. Riley took one, and popped it into his mouth, his face puckering a little as he sucked on the sour exterior.

"Yeah. And get this – he wants to take me to Iowa. Iowa!" Riley said, agitated. "He's trying to play house with some twenty-three-year-old named Caitlyn. I'm going to have a sibling."

Henry raised his eyebrows. "Brother, or sister?"

"Sister, I think." Riley's frown deepened. "You have any siblings, Henry?"

He nodded. "Two sisters. They're both younger than me by a few years. We're pretty close. I don't see them very often, but we call and email regularly. They live out of state."

Riley reached into the container, and took out another candy. "Maybe I'll like having a sister," he said, shrugging. "I don't know. But I have no plans to move back to Iowa. I hated it there."

"Well, if you do leave, my daughter and I will really miss you," Henry said. "You're a good kid."

Riley smiled at the old man's words. He would miss Henry, and Elise for sure. The man had been friendly to him from day one, and he was someone that Riley felt comfortable confiding in. These past two years, Henry had felt more like a father than Nolan ever did.

He hung around for a good hour. Riley bought a sandwich, and an apple. He ate his dinner, perched on the stool behind the counter. It was a slow night; there were hardly any customers. Henry said that that was probably because of the stormy weather. The rain lashed at the windows. But inside the store, it was nice and toasty.

He kept thinking about what was happening upstairs in the apartment. He'd asked Henry if there were any chores that needed doing, to try and keep his mind occupied. He'd washed down the counter, swept the floor, helped put the returned VHS tapes back on the shelf. It helped to run around, keep busy.

Henry reached into the box beside him, and passed two cans of creamed corn to Riley. Riley set them on the bottom shelf, where Henry had a hard time reaching. They had gone through a few boxes already. Riley made sure to turn the cans so the labels were facing the right way. They worked well as a team.

Riley cringed, as he heard the loud stomping upstairs. His parents were shouting quite loudly. It felt like they'd been fighting for ages. He glanced up, and gave Henry an uneasy look.

"Sorry about all the noise," Riley said, uncomfortable. "I hate it when they fight."

"Yeah," Henry said, giving him a sympathetic look. "But that's not on you. I'm sure they've got a lot of catching up to do. Two years is a long time."

"Yeah."

Riley listened as one of his parents stomped down the staircase. A few seconds later, the bell jangled loudly. Nolan entered the store. He looked pissed off. Riley stood up, dusting off his jeans. He went behind the counter, standing near Henry.

"Mr. Poole –" Henry started.

"Riley!" Nolan said, approaching the counter. He ignored Henry, and focused on his son. "We need to leave. Right now."

"I'm staying here, with mom."

"She doesn't want you anymore," Nolan said. "She said I could take you home."

"She would never say that!" Riley said, glaring at him.

"C'mon." Nolan went around the counter, and grabbed Riley's arm. "We're leaving right now, you hear me? You and I, we're heading home to Iowa – where you should be."

"Dad, stop!" Riley shouted.

"Hey!" Henry said. He quickly got in between father and son, pulling Nolan's hand off Riley's arm. "Mr. Poole, Riley's not going anywhere with you. Not without his mother's permission. I'm calling the cops."

The bell jangled above the door again, and Riley saw his mom rush into the store. Andrea ran over to the counter, shouting at Nolan. Riley flinched at their loud voices. Andrea wrenched Nolan's hand off Riley's wrist.

"You leave my son alone!" Andrea shouted.

Riley was frozen in place, watching his parents fight. Nolan turned and slapped Andrea. Riley watched with horror as Henry tried to stop Nolan, but he pushed him with both hands. Henry fell back against the counter, and shouted out in pain, holding his arm to his chest.

Riley ran out of the store, panicked. The rain lashed at him, as he tore down the wet sidewalk. He could hear his father shouting after him, but Riley kept running. He didn't stop, until he was blocks away. Past the darkened houses, past the empty playground, and the shuttered stores.

He finally had to slow down, a horrible stitch in his side. Riley walked down the sidewalk, one hand pressed against his side. He was breathing heavily, eyes welling with tears as he thought about what had happened. Riley knew that he couldn't go back home that night. He needed space from all of that fighting. The rain continued to pour down, as Riley walked down the street, trying to figure out where to go.