“How much of this furniture are you married to?” I said and was instantly sorry. I noticed my little girl bed tempted me in the second bedroom. It would have to go in storage. I had ordered a cool daybed that would allow this room to be a spare bedroom and an office for Griffin.

“You’re the visionary. Henry and I flipped. I am going to work tonight, and he is going to help you, but I can stay a little while.”

“No, I want you to be surprised. But it is cocktail hour. Why don’t you make yourself useful and fix me a drink?” I was already on the threshold of his bedroom studying. For me, opening the boxes and remembering the contents was like Christmas Day and birthdays all rolled into one.

“One step ahead of you.” He disappeared. As I walked around his bedroom, he returned and handed me the glass.

“I put the shaker in the freezer. Don’t get all drunk, now, and pass out in my bed.”

With this statement, none of us dared make eye contact. Henry looked like his eyes were permanently glued to the floor. I tried to look up like I was reimagining his room rather than imagining what Griffin had just said. And Griffin moved out of the room as if it had suddenly gone up in flames. A moment passed.

“I guess I will leave you to it,” Griffin said. For once, my brother kept his mouth shut.

When we were alone, I asked, “Now, would you help your delicate little sister open boxes?”

“I never had one of those. But I will be happy to help out.” We both laughed and got to work. I told Henry of my plans to bump out a wall into the living room to make a little bar area so Griffin could do what he loves best. The crew would return the next day to finish up.

“Did you hear the news that we got tattoos?” Henry asked.

“Have you and Griffin gone crazy?” This shocked me.

“Nope. After getting Hank, and with Dad’s illness, I decided to ink our initials right here.” He patted his heart. Obviously Henry was very proud of his decision.

“Well, that begs the question. What did Griffin get? And where?” It seemed like such a departure from the Griffin I knew.

“Can’t say. I am sworn to secrecy.”

“I wouldn’t dare get a tattoo.”

“Never say never, little sister.”

I had spent the day supervising the workers and finishing up last-minute details before returning to Henry’s utterly charming house. The quintessential picture of domesticity—without a wife. Although to hear Griffin tell it, that was an easily fixable problem. The women might come and go, but Henry’s talent remained constant.

After taking my shower, I decided to pay Griffin a visit at VERT.