To family.” He looked around the table with the pride of a man who was somehow the host.

“Because we literally couldn’t do this without you.”

“Couldn’t do it without me,” I repeated.

“Not one bit.” Douglas sat, and Beverly patted my hand twice, briskly, like a nurse taking a pulse.

Lucas pulled out his phone and began tapping at it, and I noticed that none of them were eating.

Plates full, forks down.

At ten I went to the hallway to hang Chloe’s coat, and the lights were off in the back hall, so I had to feel for the closet handle.

The paper was still in my hand.