Don’t tell him.”

“I won’t tell him,” I said softly, kissing her forehead.

“I promise he’ll sit down and play a game with you tomorrow afternoon.

I’ll make sure of it.”

She shut her eyes, happy with the deal, and rolled toward the wall.

I pulled her door almost closed, until just a thin strip of yellow hallway light fell across her rug, and went back downstairs.

The house was totally silent apart from the low hum of the fridge.