9
At the end of the year, I celebrated my first birthday since getting out of prison.
Claire had originally planned to celebrate with me, but her father suddenly fell ill and was hospitalized, so she couldn’t get away.
That night after closing the shop, I went alone to a bakery and chose a tiny cake to take home.
The apartment complex was old and run–down. The emergency lights in the stairwell hadn’t worked in ages.
A figure stood in front of the building entrance. The bright moonlight fell on his face, making him look especially tall and straight.
Sean Parker held a cake in one hand and a cigarette in the other. A pile of cigarette butts lay at his feet.
He looked at me and hurriedly put out his cigarette, smiling awkwardly.
“Sorry, I got bored waiting so long.”
I brought him into my rented apartment. He carefully inspected everything like a detective.
The plumbing, the gas lines – he didn’t miss a thing.
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