Prologue

Act 1

Summer had come early in Wolferton and has scorched the Westside and turned Reese Callahan’s one-bedroom apartment into a sauna, the May heat unrelenting despite a rattling fan. The place reflected it’s working poor owner—creaky floors, slightly warped windows—but livable, thanks to Reese’s new roommates and their welcomed improvements. Young Jamie Carter’s springtime fixes: fresh gray paint on the walls, tightened cabinet hinges, a wobbly table steadied. While Tara Lynn, Jamie’s mom, kept it clean, her touch homey but practical: a thrifted blue rug, mismatched mugs on the counter, no frilly nonsense.

Reese, was 27 and a hulking 6’1” construction worker. Never before someone who wanted a family, Reese now loved the setup, part of why he’d opened his door to Tara Lynn and her kid when her dark-debt past killed their old place. The place now felt more adult, more a home even in the tiny apartment.