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I didn’t have to do anything. He’d left. Why would I jump in now?

Because it’s him. That’s why.

Would it always be like this? It had been over a decade since we last saw each other. There had to be some part of him that kept the pieces of my heart that I had given away. Why else would I care so much?

Agnes screamed when she saw Gabriel, and I almost stepped in. But instead, I stayed still again.

“You can’t sneak out!” Gabriel yelled.

“I can! You’re not my dad!”

I’d heard from the Facebook group that they’d said that before.

With a shake of my head, I let him handle his own kids. This wasn’t my fight. He wasn’t my man.

And I’d cry about that later.

The shop was dead and so was I. After my regularly scheduled crying session, I had to open the store, and when no one came in, I was tempted to close it for the day.

This would be another month I would have to depend on the STM grant. The money was regular, but it was hard to accept without a name attached to it.

Grabbing my phone, I ignored a text from Kerry begging for information about Gabriel and went to my email.

I’d put in my request for assistance. Months ago, it would have been answered immediately. Now, it was taking longer.

But rent was almost due and there was no response.

I bit my lip as I went back to Kerry.

Jade

I’ll trade information. Come in and get more linen candles.

Kerry

Say no more!

I leaned against the counter and waited. Twenty minutes later, Kerry burst into the shop.

“Hello!” she called. “I’m here for my information.”

“You better have something for me,” I said. “I used the word ‘trade.’”

She crossed her arms. “What do you wanna know?”

“Information on the STM grant.”

Her eyes widened for half a second before she recovered. “Really? Well, I have a little. It depends on how good your update is.”

“I met with Gabriel both last night and this morning.”

Her jaw dropped. “I heard, but I didn’t think . . . Are you back together?”

“You first,” I urged.

Kerry sighed. “Well, there isn’t too much I can tell you.”

“Have you heard anything about the grant being slower?”