"Yeah."
"Did you sleep well last night?"
"Alright."
Silence for a moment.
"Ezio," I hesitated. "What you said this morning about 'coming home for dinner'—is there a special reason?"
He set down his coffee cup, looking at me. "No. Just want to come home for dinner."
"Oh, okay," I said.
"What, problem?"
I said, "Of course not."
He said nothing more, stood up, and walked around the table to my side. He bent down and dropped a kiss on my forehead.
Then he straightened, picked up the folder from the table, and strode toward the door.
"Ezio," I called after him.
He stopped, turned to look at me.
"Come home early," I said.
His gaze rested on my face for a moment, softening, then he nodded and pushed through the door.
I sat at the table, picked up the now-cold coffee, and took a sip.
Macy rolled over on the floor, letting out a vague grunt.
Leo's voice came from the hallway. "Juliet, wait for me! My shoelaces came undone again!"
"You're so clumsy!"
"I'm not clumsy! The shoelaces are clumsy!"
I smiled, set down the cup, stood up, and headed toward the hallway.
At ten in the morning, I got a call from an unknown number.
Too much had happened lately. I'd grown cautious, didn't answer the strange call.
But that number called several more times.
Maybe it really was urgent.
I thought, and answered the phone.
"Hello?"
"Olivia..." Sophie's voice came through, broken and stuttering, like she was crying. Background noise of wind and traffic. "I need your help... Can you come out? Please?"
I stood by the window, watching Leo and Juliet grooming Macy in the yard outside. The sunlight was beautiful, the children's laughter coming through the glass, blurred and warm.
"Sophie? What's wrong? Where are you?"
