Chapter 22

• Narrated by Luciana.
• I set aside the psychology conference; it was Friday. I said goodbye to Ericka with a hug, telling her I would see her on Sunday. I had given her an excuse, but she didn’t ask for more details; she just told me she would be fine and would enjoy a moment of tranquility to catch up on classes. Lately, Ericka had been in another world; some days she seemed sad, and others happy. I asked her if she was okay, and she would respond that she was just stressed with some classes, but her notebooks were practically blank. I hesitated to leave; it seemed out of place, and I could feel that something had changed in her. But Ericka was a closed box.
• A part of me worried that she would suddenly come home, but Abel eased my concern by telling Ericka that he would be out of town for work on a case he had so she wouldn’t try to go home. When I arrived at the station, my nerves were on edge. I was excited and anxious; I fixed my hair a million times. This would be the first time we would be alone at his house.