five minutes later.
Ellie ran straight to him.
“Hey, kiddo,” he said.
His face brightened when he saw her.
His hand moved automatically toward the freezer, probably already reaching for her usual strawberry bar.
Then he saw me.
And stopped.
His expression changed.
Not fear.
Not guilt.
Not anything that immediately made me want to grab Ellie and leave.
Instead, he looked almost stunned.
Like he was staring at a face he recognized from somewhere very far away.
His hand remained frozen halfway toward the freezer.
Finally, he asked:
“You’re
