Chapter 32: The Apology

Freddy stood in the front hall with his hands at his sides and his jacket buttoned wrong.

He had not slept.

He looked at William, and at July behind him, and at Jude on the stairs, and his eyes did not stay on any of them.

"I said it," he said. "At the party. To Ken. You've seen it, haven't you?"

"Every word," William said.

"I figured." Freddy swallowed. "I came to say it first."

"Why did you say it?"

"I don't know."

"Try again."

Freddy gave a short laugh with no air in it.

"Because I built that deck for a month, and a student with a red pen sold the account in two minutes."

"Because the chain called Ken after, not me."

"Because you looked at him in that boardroom, Uncle William, the way you used to look at me when I was nineteen, and I thought, that's my seat."

He pressed the heel of his hand to one eye.

"I've worked for you since I was nineteen. I've never once been a Parker. I've just been near them."

William's face did not change.

"You are my nephew," he said. "You had a seat at my table before Ken ever saw this house."

"I know."

"Nobody was taking it. You decided he would, and then you went and did the one thing that could."

"I know."

"Do you know what you called him?"

"Yes."

"Then you'll say it again. To him. Out loud, in front of the people who heard it."

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