The Envelope That Changed Everything

across from me, and listened without interrupting as I told him everything.

The hernia. Nicole’s insistence. Mercer. The envelope. The look on her face.

When I finished, Brandon leaned back and exhaled slowly.

“That wasn’t nothing,” he said. “And that wasn’t innocent.”

“What was in the envelope?” I asked.

“I don’t know yet,” he said. “But I’m going to continue reading …