ALMOND
The sound of my phone ringing startled me awake, and with reluctance, I opened my eyes, finding the phone resting on the bedpost. I wondered who would be calling on a Saturday morning.
I had planned to relax, wake up around nine, get dressed, and then take Krystal to school for her ballet class. Ballet was the only interest I had noticed Krystal displaying, aside from her studies.
As I checked the caller, my surprise grew as I saw it was Alvah. After the encounter with Malik, I had anticipated either a confrontational meeting or a call from him, but he had chosen silence, not reaching out to inquire about how I was doing.
Careful not to disturb Krystal, who was sleeping in my room following the incident, I silently rose from the bed. She had grown attached to sleeping in my room
