Solace Read Free

car door, and let out a shaky breath. He shouldn’t need his best friend to come get him and stop him from doing something stupid.
    But God was he glad she would do it anyway.

2
Aaron
    A aron Hayes stood in front of a house he’d only been to once; a house he hadn’t ever really planned on returning to. He’d done his job. There wasn’t any need for him to be here.
    No need but for the customs of society, at least. It was incredibly rude to turn down an invitation to a little boy’s birthday party. Especially when it was hand-written.
    Aaron sized up the house for a second time. It looked friendly enough, with light blue paint, pastel yellow window coverings, and a darker blue door. Flowers were planted out front, though he had no idea what kind they were. The lawn was obviously professionally manicured, and a sprinkler dusted water over it at regular intervals.
    There was nothing to fear about this house, but fear he did.
    “Relax. You’re not walking into a war zone.”
    Richard’s voice wasn’t as calming as it should have been. Right now, it just made him cringe. His boss was the one who’d said he should come to this event. His boss was the one who’d pointed out that his name was the one specifically written on the invitation, even if it had been spelled wrong.
    Richard hadn’t appreciated his attempt to use that as an excuse not to go.
    “Sorry, I just…”
    “I know,” Richard said patiently.
    Richard was always patient, and he did know. He’d given Aaron a chance when no one else would. He’d said they could work on the areas he needed to improve, and in the meantime he’d have a good job he enjoyed. And over the last few years, they had worked on some of those issues.
    Just not enough that Aaron felt comfortable entering a house filled to bursting with people he didn’t know.
    But it seemed he didn’t have a choice. The door opened, and a woman he recognized greeted them. Aaron had a hard time focusing on her, though. Instead, his gaze fixed on the crowd of people behind her.
    “Oh, I’m so glad you could make it! Ethan, Mr. Hayes and Mr. Baker are here!”
    A boy in a wheelchair came forward, and Aaron actually smiled. He’d liked working with Ethan and his mother. She’d brought him to the center three times a week, and Aaron had gradually gotten accustomed to them. He’d hoped that familiarity would make it easier to handle a birthday party, but as he heard a crack of laughter from the other room, he knew that wasn’t going to be the case.
    They aren’t laughing at you , he reminded himself. There was no way they could be. And still he wanted to curl in on himself and disappear.
    “Happy Birthday, Ethan,” Richard said. “What are you now? Thirty-two?”
    “Thirteen,” Ethan said, his voice still that of a child, despite the fact that he’d grown since Aaron had seen him last.
    “Close enough.”
    “How’s Jack?” He asked.
    “He’s really good. I taught him how to bring me anything I need, just like you showed me.”
    Aaron’s smile grew at that, and he relaxed a bit. “Yeah? You’ll have to show me sometime.”
    “Please come inside, you two. There’s plenty of food, so help yourselves. We’re going to do cake soon, too.”
    Aaron followed Richard inside, and as soon as the door was closed, his heart started to race. The crowd of people was in the living room, with a few stragglers in the kitchen. Here in the foyer he was safe; unlikely to be asked to engage in conversation.
    But he had a feeling Richard wasn’t going to let him stay in the foyer.
    “Can I get you anything to drink?” Ethan’s mother, Maria, asked.
    “Diet Coke would be great,” Richard said, nudging Aaron when he didn’t speak up.
    “Um, no thank you. I’m fine.”
    Unless she had some sort of Potion of Sociability in her fridge. Somehow he doubted that.
    “Do you wanna see Jack?”
    “Absolutely,” Aaron said, and his nerves untangled just a little bit more.
    Ethan led him through the