“Just their talks and telling of where they went and what they saw. They used to ride a lot. And Vera brought books.” Robbie smiled. “Her books were for teaching, but Adam read Louis L’Amour to me. And Kelly came, too. She was the best. She always brought animals. Mom was afraid one of them would bite Adam, so they weren’t allowed inside, but Kelly didn’t obey. She used to climb up the side of the house and through the window with the animals. One time a bird got loose and Adam fell out of bed trying to catch it. Kelly barely got out the window before the nurse arrived. Adam had to go back to the hospital for three days.” Robbie was smiling in memory.

“I don’t know anything about this.” Nella’s voice was low, that mother-voice of warning.

“I’d like to hear more about it all,” Forey said sternly.

Robbie didn’t know what he’d said to set the women off, but their intensity made him know he had to change the subject. He gave a little cough. “I thought you two would be planning Kelly’s wedding cake.”

Nella’s eyes went so wide he was afraid her skin would break. “He asked her?” she whispered. “She said yes?”

Forey put her arm around her friend. “When did this happen? And why did Kelly tell you before her own mother?” Her frown was fierce.

Robbie swallowed. “Maybe I have it wrong. Maybe—” He got off the stool. “I have to, uh... I need to go.” He hurried out of the house, lit a cigarette, got into his pickup and drove onto the road. It appeared that he’d broken some kind of girl-law by knowing this important thing first. So why had Kelly told him before she told her family? Maybe, he thought, Kelly does feel a bond between us. He smiled as he drove home.

Adam had taken what had to be the longest, hottest shower of his life when he heard the front door open. Then Robbie ran up the stairs. He got to the bedroom door before his brother could close it.

“Hey!” Adam said. “I don’t want us to get off on the wrong foot. We’re brothers. We—”

“Save the preaching for church.” Rob removed his shirt and took a clean one out of his closet.

Adam, with an athlete’s eye, looked at his shirtless brother. He had certainly grown up in the last years! He no longer looked like a kid but an adult male who was finely toned. Adam stretched out on the bed, hands clasped behind his head. “Still swimming?”

“Some.”

“Why don’t you and I go to the grocery together?”

“As fun as that sounds, I’m going to go—” He cut himself off with a quick glance at his brother.

“Where are you going?”

“To see Miguel. Remember him?”

“Of course. He used to run after Vera.”