“Who told you that?”
“Everybody.”
“Everybody is sometimes wrong.”
Emily wasn’t convinced.
“My mom says dangerous people can look nice.”
“She is correct.”
That surprised her.
“So are you dangerous?”
Lorenzo looked directly at her.
“Yes.”
Emily stepped back.
He didn’t move toward her.
“But not to you.”
She watched him carefully.
“Why?”
“Because you asked for milk.”
She looked confused.
“That doesn’t make sense.”
“No.”
He glanced at the box.
“What are you doing?”
“Giving food to families who need it.”
“Why?”
Emily shrugged.
“Because I know what it’s like.”
Lorenzo nodded.
“Then keep doing it.”
He walked away.
Emily watched him disappear through the doors.
For some reason, she wasn’t frightened.
She was curious.
Over the next year, Lorenzo’s involvement remained strangely distant.
He never entered their house.
He never demanded gratitude.
He never asked Emily to call him.
But things changed.
