The cold autumn air had grown sharp, turning our breath into small gray puffs in front of our faces.

Rob stood by the open trunk of his shiny new red car, jingling a heavy bunch of keys in his coat pocket.

He kept his eyes on the gravel and didn’t glance up when we came out onto the porch steps.

Mrs.

Higgins from across the street stood by her mailbox with her garden shears frozen in midair, watching Vanessa drag her bags across our lawn.

Lily came toddling through the screen door behind us, dragging her little yellow blanket over the porch boards.