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"Evan" She sounded surprised to hear fro today?" he asked politely, even though it felt like his tie was strangling hi to do It didn’ther Mom

"I’m fine," she replied

His catchphrase He suddenly kneho he’d learned it from as memories hit him All those tione off on her I’m fine, Evan She’d repeated those words to hi ready for work, Evan"

"Any problems yesterday?"

"No problems," she said in a low voice And when she added, "It was lovely seeing you the other day," he thought he understood the nervousness in her tone She was still afraid of rejection And ouldn’t she be after what she’d done?

Still, he wanted her to know, "I’et anyone’s hopes up, but hopefully wouldn’t do anyready" They’d exhausted any other conversation At least, he had "Is Tony there? I’d like a ith him"

"I’ll get him" She called her other son’s naht be about to add "Yes?"

"Thank you for talking totoday"

"You’re welcome" His voice was stilted, his emotions deliberately blotted flat

"Here’s Tony"

Relief washed through hi in, Tony I figured you would have called if Greg showed up"

"Not a peep"

"Glad to hear it" He paused, before asking, "She didn’t try to call him?"

"No Moht He knew just hoell she kept proe had ive histo protect him, while she’d been there, fro without hiive

"But since I have to get back to San Francisco this …" Tony’s words already had a question in theain sometime? I think she’ll do better if you,her knoe’re all available if anything happens"

Evan’s knee-jerk no clenched tight in the pit of his stomach He wanted to protect himself at all costs