Free In Their Blood by Sharon Potts

son, right?” Winter extended his hand. “You can’t miss the resemblance. I’m so sorry for your loss.” He paused for a second. “Jeremy, isn’t it?”
    “That’s right. Thank you.”
    “Your father leaves quite a void.”
    “Yes,” Jeremy said. “Yes, he does.”
    Marina had backed into the corner, her arms crossed in front of her chest.
    Winter seemed to be waiting for Jeremy to say something. He tapped his tasseled loafer against the floor.
    “I see you’re clearing out my father’s office,” Jeremy said. “I was wondering why the family wasn’t asked to go through my father’s things first.”
    “But of course you were.” Winter looked offended.
    “No, I wasn’t.”
    “Perhaps you should check with your uncle. He’s already been through your father’s belongings.”
    “He had no right to do that.”
    “I’m sorry? Isn’t he responsible for you and your sister?”
    “No. He is not.”
    “Then I apologize. A misunderstanding. But I don’t believe your uncle took much. A few pictures, a clock. I’m sure he’s planning on giving them to you. No reason to get all worked up. And after Ms. Champlain’s finished organizing, you’re welcome to come back and go through the papers again.” Jeremy felt the pressure of Winter’s hand on his shoulder as the dean coaxed him out of the office. “Again, Jeremy. So sorry for your loss. Your father will surely be missed by everyone here.”
    Jeremy glanced back at Marina. She had picked up some papers, but she looked sad. Terribly sad.

Chapter 9
    Elise was floating— weightless, disembodied, connected to the world only by a thin hose, an umbilical cord. Breathing, yet not really breathing. Immersed in darkness. An embryo— that’s what she was. And she was terrified of emerging from the protective womb.
    She stood beneath a cluster of palm trees at the edge of her high school’s campus. Her friends were sitting on benches in the grassy quad between the buildings where they had their classes. They were on break. She could hear their laughter, even in the distance.
    Elise had driven here this afternoon, like Jeremy had told her to do. He said it would make it easier for her tomorrow. Would it? Would anything ever be easy again?
    She watched her classmates in their school uniforms— khaki pants and navy or green polo shirts. Megan spied her and waved. The others turned toward her, signaling for her to join them. They’d all come to the funeral, then to the Castillos’ house. They’d embraced her, cried on her shoulder. “Oh, Elise,” they’d said, “we’re so, so sorry.”
    Elise took a step back so that she was blocked from their view by one of the trees. She breathed in the bark. She wasn’t ready. Not yet. Maybe never.
    “Hey.” She was jarred by Carlos’s soft voice. Where had he come from? “I didn’t think you’d be in today.”
    “I’m-I’m practicing.”
    Carlos nodded as though he understood, though she doubted he did. There was a couple of days’ growth of shiny facial hair, so faint that he probably wouldn’t be sent to the office for not shaving. His blond hair was matted down from the band of a baseball cap. Her boyfriend. He was her boyfriend. She should be happy to see him, right?
    “So, you’re back at the house,” he said. “Is it like weird being there?”
    Of course it’s weird. It’s horrible without them. “It’s okay,” she said. “Jeremy’s home.”
    He scratched his cheek. “Are you angry with me?”
    “Why would I be angry, Carlos?”
    “I don’t know. I was afraid maybe you felt like I deserted you.”
    “I haven’t exactly wanted to see anyone.”
    “So you’re not angry?”
    “I said I’m not.”
    “Yeah. Okay then.” He scraped off a sliver of bark with his fingernail. “So, like, do you want to hang out?”
    She shook her head.
    “That’s cool.”
    The bell rang signaling the next class. Carlos looked relieved.
    “Maybe you’d better go,” Elise said.
    “Yeah. I’ve