Chapter 8: Round 10

Devin came in first, rolling a suitcase, with his head turned back toward the hall and a laugh still on his face.

Lila came in behind him, holding two coffees and a paper bag from the Nashville airport.

They both stopped on the mat.

Fourteen people were standing in my living room, and every one of them was looking at them.

"Wow," Devin said. "Okay. That's a lot of people."

"Welcome home," I said.

His eyes found me, and they went to my left hand.

"Ansley. Where's your ring?"

"Your mother has it."

"I told her not to say anything."

"She didn't need to," my father said from beside the television.

Devin looked at him, and then at my mother in the armchair.

Her face was very still, and the gray robe lay folded in her lap.

"Mrs. Hennessey," he said. "Mr. Hennessey. I didn't know you'd be here."

"You said you'd tell me to my face," my father said. "I thought I'd save you the trip."

Lila hadn't moved.

She had set the coffees on the hall table without a word, and she kept her coat on and her bag on her shoulder.

"Ansley," she said. "Can we talk? Just us?"

"No."

"I think it would be easier."

"For who?"

Nobody answered.

I walked to the television, where Darek stood with the cable in his hand, and I felt the room come with me.

"I want to play a round," I said.

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