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“She told him to leave Except she used a bad word”

Hazel re of Jaun to trust him, he’d turned on her He had made her feel the same awful sense of betrayal that Ed had

“He had a PhD in economics,” she said “Apparently he was very proud of that”

“Why did he call you stupid?” Callu incredulous

“We were talking about retire put away at the ti for her college, ood clothes and shoes and healthy food It escalated to an argument and he calledabout science and all I did knoas how to cook”

As she talked Calluradually rose with each insult “The man is clearly mad And completely blinded by his own self-interests”

She wasn’t sure she could have said that better

“Just because you’re more inclined to the arts doesn’t make you stupid,” Calluenius in ent” He shook his head “I can’t believe anyone would say that to another person”

“I thought he was a decent irl didn’t yet understand what had happened between her mother and father, but some day Hazel would have to have that talk with her She wouldn’t disparage Ed’s character, just state the facts What she dreaded most was that Evie would feel her father never loved her, even though he hadn’t He didn’t He didn’t care about Evie He didn’t even know her name Maybe she could tell Evie someday that her father never knew her, but that if he ever did, or took the time to, then he would love her

When Hazel turned back to Calluood at assessingtheir characters She had always been trusting, had had no reason not to be, having been surrounded by good people, raised in a stable family

“I’ve always thought relationships were based on trial and error,” he finally said “Soht for you and you respectfully part ways Soo badly and end up a mistake But eventually, with a little luck, you find a person orks”

Works? He sounded as though he believed what he said, or had at one point “What kind of trials have you had?”

“Ones where I learned so, and some that were a mistake”

“What did you learn?” She’d start with the easier question to answer

His shrewd mind must be at work He eyed her with subtle suspicion ue, perhaps, and then his head cocked ever so slightly