Page 57 of Chasing the Horizon

Kade stuck out his hand to shake Bethany’s. He was such a formal little kid. More adult than Victor was sometimes. “Are you a doctor like Victor is a doctor?”

Bethany shook her head. “I’m a surgeon. But we both had to go to medical school.”

“That’s cool,” Kade said. “I had never been to school till recently. I always was homeschooled.”

Bethany looked quizzical.

Victor knew he needed to fill in the blanks. “Kade’s great-uncle is the one who had a stroke.”

Bethany winced. “I’m sorry to hear that, Kade. Really.”

Kade nodded. “I think it’s bad. I mean, I know it’s bad.”

Bethany looked like she, too, wanted to hug him.

And then Victor came out with the news. “Kade is going to stay with me and your mom for a little while.”

Bethany struggled to keep her shock off her face. “You’re going to be very comfortable there, Kade. I grew up there, and it’s just wonderful. Make sure to have Dr. Sutton make his famous pancakes.”

Kade assessed Victor with new eyes. “I didn’t know you could make pancakes.”

Victor smiled. “They’re not bad.”

“They’re delicious,” Bethany said, sniffing. “I haven’t had one for a little while.”

“The door is always open,” Victor told her. “You know that.”

Esme was home from yoga when Victor returned with Kade in tow. Kade had packed two backpacks of mostly books and a few clothes and looked composed and unsurprised, as though this were just another step in a narrative he couldn’t control.None of us can control our lives, I suppose, Victor thought, guiding Kade through the door that led from the garage to the hall to the kitchen. But Kade kept getting hit again and again.

Esme was at the counter, slicing an apple and smearing it with peanut butter. She was still wearing her workout outfit and had her hair pulled up into a gray ponytail.

She looked every bit like the woman Victor had fallen in love with all those years ago.

She took one look at Kade and nearly dropped to her knees.

I wasn’t imagining it. He looks like Joel, Victor thought.

“Hello,” Kade said when Esme didn’t say anything at first. “My name is Kade.”

Esme’s voice was warm. “Hi, Kade. My name is Esme.”

Kade sat down on the sofa with his backpack at his feet and looked around the room. He looked really small, and his feet hardly touched the ground. His stature didn’t match his maturity. It was mind-boggling.

“Are you Dr. Sutton’s wife?” Kade asked.

Esme’s cheek twitched. “We’re partners,” she said.

“What does that mean?” Kade asked.

Esme explained it as simply as she could. “We used to be married, but we broke up for a very long time. Now, we’re trying to see if we work together as partners again.”

“And then you’ll get married again?” Kade asked.

Esme’s eyes flickered over to Victor. They seemed to demandwhat on earth is going on?

“We might get married again,” Esme said, although her words were stiff. “Do you mind if I talk to Dr. Sutton for a moment?”

Kade shifted. “That’s fine.”

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