Chapter 17: The Coffee Mug

Blaine came at ten on Saturday with four cardboard boxes in the bed of his truck.

He had a travel mug of coffee in one hand, the white Linwood Heating mug that went everywhere with him.

Stefan stood on the main house porch with his arms crossed and said nothing.

Maxine came down the outside stairs in sweatpants and stopped on the bottom step.

"These are your things," Blaine said. "Your winter coat, your trophies, the good pillow."

"Thank you."

"Max, I want to talk."

"I know you do."

She picked up the first box and carried it up to the apartment.

She came back down for the second without looking at him.

On the third trip he set his mug on the porch rail so he could lift the heaviest one for her.

"I've got it," she said.

"Let me carry it."

"I said I've got it, Dad."

Her voice was flat and perfectly polite.

It was the voice she used on the referees she didn't respect.

Blaine stood there with his hands open, and then he turned to me.

"Leah says the girl's been told things in your kitchen."

"Her name is Kenzie."

"She's confused. She's eighteen. She doesn't know what she wants."

"She knows exactly what she wants."

His eyes went to Stefan, and his face hardened.

"You think you won the library," he said. "You didn't win anything."

"Go home, Blaine."

He pointed at me.

"I'm still her father, and I'm still your husband."

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