Page 21 of Keeping It Professional

“I’ve been calling 911 because he leaves when I do. But I didn’t want to report him, so— so…”

“It’s okay.” Sophie sat next to her and tried to catch her eye. “Has he been physically violent?”

“No, but…” Katrina bit her lip. She twisted her hands together. “He’s been breaking things, throwing plates. Yelling. He threw the remote one time, and it smashed the TV. But I went online, and I searched how to leave him, and it said leaving’s the most dangerous time. I don’t know how to leave him, or where to go, so whenever they’d answer, I’d make something up.” Her voice broke, and she dabbed at her streaming eyes. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry for wasting your time. For calling you out here when I’m perfectly fine.”

“You did the right thing,” I said. “You got him out of the house. And the police have resources, and they’ll help you get out.”

“I must’ve called you a dozen times. You must all think I’m crazy.”

She’d called us closer to fifty times, and I’d thought that, and worse. But I shook my head. “I don’t think that at all.”

“I think you’re brave,” Sophie said. “You did what you had to do. And you’ve told us the truth now, so you can get help.”

We waited with Katrina until the cops came, in case her husband was lurking, waiting for us to clear out. The street seemed deserted as we headed back to the bus, but I saw Sophie scanning down the dark rows of houses. She got in the passenger side and I took the wheel.

“You did good,” I said, as we got moving.

Sophie didn’t say anything, just squinted up the street.

“The police will find her somewhere to go. There’s shelters, safe houses. She can start over.”

She bobbed her head, half a nod, but she didn’t seem convinced. And she still didn’t say anything, which wasn’t like her. We passed under a street lamp, and in its glow she seemed pale, her features all pinched like she’d smelled something bad. When we stopped for a light, I saw she was trembling.

“Let’s take a break,” I said.

“Now? It’s still early.”

“I need some more coffee. Don’t you want some too?”

Sophie only shrugged, but she didn’t argue. I radioed in we were taking fifteen, then I pulled over at the first donut shop. I ordered a coffee, Sophie got hot chocolate, and we sat by the window to sip our drinks. Sophie’s teeth chattered, and she clenched her jaw tight.

“She has a chance now,” I said. “That’s the best we could give her.”

Sophie stirred her hot chocolate, then sipped it and frowned. She took a sugar packet and dumped half of it in. Her hand was still shaking. I leaned over the table.

“Hey. You did good.”

She made a low huffing sound, a breathy dismissal. I couldn’t get her to look at me.

“I’m serious. You caught something no one else did. I never picked up on anything wrong.”

“I didn’t, either.” Sophie’s voice shook. “I was doing like you told me, trying to keep her calm. But all I was thinking was, what’sshe so scared of? I was getting frustrated, the way she kept squirming.” She looked down at the table. “I missed it as well. I had no idea. I only asked about her magnets so she’d sit still.”

“Well, I’d have told her ‘you need to sit still.’” I hunched down in my chair to meet Sophie’s eye. “She could tell she was safe with you.That’swhy she talked.”

“You really think?”

“Yeah, I do. You have a way of talking to people that makes them feel heard. Even with me…” I shut my mouth.

“What?”

I pulled back, embarrassed. I’d never meant to tell Sophie about losing Nick. I’d never told anyone, other than Brian. After the funeral, we’d piled in Dad’s van and driven up the coast till we ran out of road. Mom had said it was for a fresh start.So you don’t have to go back to school in September and be the kid whose brother died.After that day, she’d barely mentioned his name, and if anyone else did, she’d get up and leave. Especially if I did, because?—

“Miles?”

I cleared my throat. “Sorry. All I’m saying is, uh, you’re easy to talk to. Folks open up to you, like Katrina today.” And like me, last week. My neck went hot. “I don’t think she’d have said anything if we’d switched places. I think she saw you cared and she felt safe, and that’s why she picked you to ask for help.”

Sophie stirred her hot chocolate some more. She shook in more sugar. I tapped on the table to make her look up.

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