As I got ready for bed, I noticed a wicked bruise the color of an overripe eggplant on Griffin’s stomach. “Are you okay? Do you want ice?”

“It’s not the first tussle your brother and I have had.”

I was worried about Griffin. I started crying. Griffin embraced and consoled me. I didn’t want to cry, but I couldn’t stop, and Griffin didn’t ask me to.

“Don’t ever do anything like this to me,” I said.

“Not to worry. I’ve never even been drunk.”

“Never?” I asked, as he wiped my tears away with his shirt sleeve.

“I’ve had to sip wine for my job. But nope, I have never been drunk. It would take something really life-shattering for me to want to get drunk.”

As I crawled into bed next to him and turned out the light, I had twin thoughts. I thought of my brother across town, but I also wondered what constituted life-shattering. Unfortunately, I would later find out.

Chapter Nine

Julian sent me on my first solo trip to Atlanta armed with a satchel full of ideas. Henry still acted guarded when I returned. It had been six months since the intervention, and Henry had stayed on the straight and narrow. I stayed with Daddy, who seemed supremely proud of Henry but a little slower in his own gait. Julian flew down the day I was going to make our pitch for NOIR to my men. I was excited and nervous. We all had big stakes: Henry’s continued sobriety, my venturing out on my own, and the healing of our relationship.

“I always start with the name,” I began. “NOIR. What does it conjure up? Black as the night that covers me? Or maybe black as in just a little naughty.” With this last remark, Henry perked up, and I had his full attention. He and Griffin both nursed mugs of coffee. They look like the Bobbsey twins. Julian sipped his customary chardonnay. I continued.

“Henry, the location you picked out helps guide us. It’s tucked out of the way. That informed me that this place should be a little risqué, very cozy, very sophisticated, and very expensive.”

At this, Griffin perked up. “I like that part.”

“I see the bar area and the restaurant as totally separate. People who are in the restaurant want intimacy mixed with good food. Creative food. I see black velvet banquettes so couples can sit as close together or as far apart as they want. I have found this fabulous black velvet fabric with a bold merlot stripe down the middle. This burgundy stripe also informs the color palette of the restaurant. I see black and burgundy, but I also have a little surprise.

“The pièce de résistance. To accentuate the cozy feel even further, I am proposing we cover the ceiling with voluminous fabric in this black-and-burgundy paisley print.” I showed them the swatches I had in mind. “I have an example where Julian did this in a Boston restaurant. After the fabric, I found these black origamilike lacquered chandeliers.” I placed photos in front of them. “I understand this may be out of your comfort zone. This is nothing like your other restaurants. But think about it just in its conceptual nature, Henry. NOIR is like no other. It needs to announce itself.”