Chapter 10
We burst into the late morning sunlight, Tupperware clattering at our sides. A moment later, a bright blue sedan pulls into the Cedar Hills Mall parking lot. The car has barely stopped when both Sadie and Belinda come tumbling out. Nigel follows, his pace more sedate, but when he reaches Malcolm, he pulls his brother into a tight embrace.
Then the mall itself captures Nigel’s attention. He stares, a faraway look in his eyes. He reminds me of when I first met him, when he was recovering from swallowing ghosts, when he would gaze into the middle distance, sometimes for hours. Sadie takes a step closer to him and places a hand on his arm, her eyes tight with budding alarm.
He shakes himself. “I’m okay.” But the smile he gives us is a shadow of itself.
I open my mouth, mentally
