She got to her feet. “There wasn’t and isn’t anything wrong with my mind, Ryan. You and Wendy have a special relationship. You think I haven’t always known what you are to each other? I’d really be a fool to think you want to discover the truth. No matter what your father or anybody else thinks, I’m not now nor have I ever been one.”

I watched her walk away, and despite wishing differently, I knew that my special relationship to Wendy might be taking a hard hit in the near future.

By the time I arrived, Holly and Noelle were ready to go. Maybe Bismarck was happier to see me than they were, but they were happy enough. I admired the newly decorated Christmas tree, gave the elder Graceys hugs, and shepherded the girls and the dog to my car before Mom could recite another list of things to do for them in the coming week.

“I thought Mommy might come home with you,” Noelle said, as I pulled away from the house.

She sounded so forlorn I had to clear my throat. “No, sweetie. She’s still away.”

“She needs to come home.”

“No, she doesn’t,” Holly said.

“Holly, Noelle’s entitled to her feelings,” I said.

“So am I!”

I wondered if taking Holly aside when we got home would turn up new reasons for her anger. A certain amount seemed reasonable, possibly even healthy, but Holly was moving well beyond that.

I asked them about the cookies they’d baked with my mother. I hadn’t yet checked out the tin she’d sent home with us. Neither of them answered.

I continued trying to find a way to lighten the mood. “How did Bismarck do?”

“He’s limping,” Noelle said.

“Is he?”

“She just said he was,” Holly said.

“Indeed she did.” I thought of an idea that would be good for Biz and me, since it might channel Holly’s energy in a better direction. “I’ll tell you what, let’s eat, and then maybe we can take Bismarck to Teo’s to see if something’s wrong. You can see where all the dogs live. Sound good?”

A grunt from the backseat was answer enough.

Inspired, I called Teo from the car and he said it was fine to stop by, so I offered to come right away and bring dinner. Twenty minutes later the girls and I were at Confidence K-9s.

Teo met us out front, accompanied by a little blond girl Holly’s size. She was wearing sweatpants and a hoodie, and unlike every stitch my nieces owned, her clothes didn’t match.

“Meet Fiona,” Teo said, “Janice and Harry’s daughter. I’m babysitting while they do some shopping.”

Fiona said a shy hello, then she asked the girls if they wanted to see her house and pet beagle. They were off like a shot.

Teo was dressed like Fiona, only his clothes were cleaner. “I paid her so I could get you alone.”

“They’ll be okay?”

“We’ll walk over in a minute. I thought we’d head to my place. I have a table and silverware.”