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“Is Gabriel leaving again?” he asked.

“Can I come in?”

He sighed, but opened the door wider to let me in. His house was familiar in a way that was comfortable.

“Did you two fight again?”

I wanted to say no, but I couldn’t lie. “Yes.”

“My policy stays the same: I’m not getting in the middle of it.”

He’d told me this last time. I’d snapped and said I didn’t need his help anyway.

This time, I took a different path. “Why?”

“It’s not any of my business.”

I frowned. “Is it not?”

Atticus sighed and then shook his head. “You two can work it out.”

“You know him,” I said. “Is there anything you can tell me?”

“I know as little as you.”

“I don’t need an immediate answer, just a hint. Is there a habit he has? Or something that made him want to leave?”

Atticus opened his mouth, probably to say no once again, but then he paused.

“There is something. Gabriel will be mad if he knows you saw this, though.”

“I won’t tell him.”

It won’t be the first secret between us.

“Are you okay?” Atticus asked. He was usually so quiet and reserved. His question shocked me.

“I’m . . . trying to figure something out,” I said. “That’s all.”

“This will only make it worse.”

“I don’t care,” I said. “I just want to understand.”

“Fine. Follow me.”

Atticus led me to the back room of the house. It had always been shut and locked, and Gabriel always distracted me when I would try to sneak in.

It was a simple room with art and shelving.

“What is this?”

“This was his mom’s office.”

My eyes went wide. I’d been around when Gabriel lost his mom, but he didn’t tell me much. He’d retreated into a shell, hiding away from everyone.

Still, to this day, he barely talked about her.

“I thought he’d mostly forgotten about her.”