“After five o’clock, the offer is off the table for good.”

The living room was silent except for the low hum of the refrigerator.

Four large cardboard boxes stood stacked against the wall by the front door, labeled in black marker for the moving van coming next week.

Toby sat at the clean oak dining table, holding his glass of water carefully in his left hand while his right arm rested in its rigid plaster cast.

“Are we moving to a new house soon, Mom?” Toby asked softly, setting the glass down on a paper napkin.