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He had al with his clothes and his tools

First stop, Mary Elizabeth’s

As always, seeing his sister lifted his spirits They took a walk She didn’t ask about Parker, but he saw that her roo poster froa versions of the book and several stuffed ani a kitten that could flatten out as if roadkill, then pop open again, ings co out of a zippered compartment in its back Sick, really Carol at the front desk told him it had come from New York the week before

“I’ for the crayon box

“I’ a cow,” he said

“Don’t draw a cow, James,” she chided “You can’t ride a cow”

“This is a riding cow,” he said “You’ll see It could beat your horse in a race any day”

His sister looked up at hih, then went back to her artwork

What would life be like if she’d listened to him that day? If he’d been a better brother, a better babysitter, paid more attention? Would he have left Dresner, or stayed and become a carpenter? He’d probably be married by now Maybe a couple of kids, even

He reht as he’d lifted the boy from the car The joy on his face when Jaun

“You think I’d be a good father?” he asked his sister

“Aren’t you a little young for that?” she asked, sounding for the life of hi adult

“I’m thirty, Mare”

She looked up froh to be a father?”

“Yep”

“You give good presents That’s important Presents are i

He smiled

“You always take good care of me,” she added, and her words clamped like a vise around his heart

“You take good care ofover to kiss her cheek

She glanced at his picture “That’s the worst cow I ever saw”

THE LAST TIME HE’D BEEN in Dresner had been two Christo, at his brother Peter’s house He’d stayed out of the way, gave all the kids the latest model of iPod and counted the minutes till he could leave Only Mary Elizabeth, who left Beckham Institute for holidays and one weekend a month, had been really happy to see him

He hadn’t been to his parents’ house in, oh, ht years

The place looked the sa with Mom’s old Buick Not that she drove much anymore

He knocked on the door, heart pu in slow, heavy beats His mother answered “Yes?” she said

“Hi, Mom,” he said

“Oh, James! Hello! Co, and her hair was matted on one side, as if she’d just woken up

He kissed her cheek dutifully Yep Thems were Jack Daniel’s fumes

“Frank, look who’s here! It’s James!” Mom weaved into the kitchen and sat down “You want some coffee, honey?”

“No, I’ood,” James said “Hey, Dad” He extended his hand; his father shook it, not looking him directly in the eye

“So what brings you here?” Mo

“I’ down

“You still working for that Ponzi-scheuy?” his father asked

“Actually, I’m unemployed at the moment”

“So your brother tells us” Frank Cahill looked both pissed off and pleased

“It’s good to see you, honey,” hisShe’d always been the kind of drunk who thought she covered well

“You, too, Mom” He shifted in his chair, the same worn vinyl chairs they’d had since he was a kid “I just saw Mary Elizabeth”

“My angel,” Mo His father rose to leave

“Dad, wait Please I need to ask you guys so”

“Frank, sit down!” Mom said “James is hardly ever here”

His father sat back down “What?” he growled

James took a deep breath and looked at his parents, his bleary- and blue-eyed ive me,” he said

“Ah, Jesus,” his father said

“Dad, Mom, I wish—”

“You wish! Who cares what you wish? You were supposed to take care of your little sister!” his father barked, sla his hand down on the table “You said you’d stay home and watch her, and instead I come home to find her half-dead! All because you wanted to watch the fking television!”

“I know”

“And look at her now!”

“I know”