Page 18 (1/2)

I walk through the house and put the phone down next to Philip’s plate of pie

"In my day," Grandad says He’s in the middle of one of his speeches "In hborhoods It was illegal, sure, but the cops looked the other way if they kneas good for theo into the living room to watch television, while Philip talks to Mom on the extension in the loft Maura stands at the sink, scraping food into the whirring garbage disposal She scrubs a pot, and her lips draw back fro before it bites

I want to tell her about theher off

"Dinner was good," I say finally

She spins around, relaxing her features into soue expression "I burned the carrots"

I put"Tasty"

She frowns "Do you need soto your school?" she asks with a sly s the pot "They haven’t called yet"

"They will" I pick up another dish towel and startthe water off a knife "Don’t you have a dishwasher?"

"It dulls the blade," she says, taking it frounk stuck on the botto down on the counter with sudden decision "I have so and reach into the inside pocket

"Hey, co quickly back to the kitchen

"Look," I say to Maura, holding out my hand to show her the onyx char--"

"Very thoughtful of you," she says The stone shines under the recessed lights like a spilled droplet of tar "Just like your brother You don’t understand favors, just exchanges"

"Get a needle and sew it into your bra," I tell her "Pro" She tilts her head "You look like hiuess," I say "We’re brothers"

"You’re handsome with all that messy black hair And your crooked smile" They’re compliments, but she doesn’t sound co like that?"

So a little "My s as you think you are," she says, walking up to me, so close that her breath is warainst the edge of her counter "You’re not as char as him"

"Okay," I say "Just promise me that you’ll wear it"

"Why?" she asks "What kind of alance at the doorway I can hear the television in the other rooame show Grandad likes

"A memory charm," I say softly "It’s better than it looks Say that you’ll wear it"

"Okay"

I try a sot to stick together"

"What do you mean?" She narrows her eyes "Do you think I’m stupid? You’re one of them I remember that"

I shake my head, but don’t knohat to say Maybe it’s better if I wait for the charue with her over things that don’t matter anyway

"Grandad’s passed out," Barron says when I walk into the living roo to have to stay over I don’t think I’ anywhere either" He yawns

"I can drive his I can’t say, about all the things I suspect

"What did you tell Moood cups, the kind with a saucer "It’s taking hi she’s not tellingMom never told us, we’d have a million bucks"

"I’d have a lot more money than you would" I sit down on the couch I can’t just leave without at least trying to warn hi?"

Barron turns toward me "Sure Shoot"

"Do you remember ere kids and ent to the beach down by Carney? There were toads in the scrub brush You caught a really tiny one that jumped out of your hands I squeezed ht it was dead, but then e left it alone for a uts and hopped away Do you re of his shoulders "Why?"