I opened my mouth to give the adult answer and realized I didn’t have one.

“Because some grown-ups like quiet houses,” Kelsey said.

Cormac studied me.

“Do you like it quiet?”

I looked at the stone counters, the expensive paintings, the wide empty rooms that had been my refuge for a decade.

“I thought I did,” I said.

“Now I’m not sure.”

He nodded once, satisfied, and went back to his brothers.