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“This isthe door He picked the little boy off my lap and my heart constricted

“Wait, where are you going?” I asked, suddenly feeling panicked

“He’s had a long day He used to spendwith h I didn’t remember the little boy I couldn’t help but feel disappointed he wasn’t co with me Tanner must have sensed my disappointment, because he added, “But I proet settled in, then we’ll talk more”

The senator eer seat

“Wait!” I called out Tanner turned back around “What’s his naainst Tanner’s shoulder, and although he had been jostled around quite a bit, he remained sound asleep

Tanner smiled “Samuel”

My heart fell out of my chest

Samuel

Preppy’s name was Samuel

“But we call him Sammy,” Tanner said

“Tanner,” the senator said dismissively He took the seat next to me in the back Instantly the contempt that had been temporarily put on the back burner for the sake of Saeance, and as we pulled back out onto the road, I launchedarrested?” I asked, unable to hide the bitterness in my voice “He tookon the streets, struggling to find protection, or food My only friend was a hoht I was the pitiful one!”