She hadn’t known about the formal title arbitration scheduled with the lawyer, and the mention of legal filings made her swallow hard without answering.

From the back bedroom, the steady sound of metal bolts being unscrewed echoed down the hallway.

Ten minutes later, Ethan and Richard came out of the nursery hallway carrying the taken-apart wooden crib.

They had unbolted the four corner posts and stacked the two slatted side rails neatly against the headboard.

My father pulled the front screen door back and held it open with his elbow.

Richard carried the heavy wooden headboard while Ethan carried the base and rails.