Carl paused before speaking. "Can I ask you a question?"
No one ever said that until something significant was about to come out, and I tried not to hold my breath. "Go for it."
"I've never heard you speak about your father."
I blinked slowly. "Probably because there's nothing to say." "I never met him."
"Is he still alive?"
I shrugged. “Maybe.”
Carl seemed to have just realized he was standing barefoot in a field of shattered glass and wasn't sure what to do next. All of his alternatives were going to be unpleasant. "I'm sorry I brought it up. I didn't intend to make you feel uncomfortable. It's simply that we've known one other for a long and I've always wondered."
"My father left town as soon as he found out my mom was pregnant, and she hasn't heard from him since." My body coole
