What had Brian told him about? he wondered now. Taking Sara’s virginity? Nope. Not a word. On the other hand, Brian had had so many girlfriends. Maybe he didn’t think it was even worth mentioning.

And yet . . . Friends talked about things like that, and Ralf had thought Brian was his friend. Was the reverse also true? Or had Brian only viewed him as a useful helper and—since losing his license and his car—a chauffeur?

12

12

“Do you want a piece, Dad?”

Werner shook his head. “You guys finish it. I’ve had enough to eat.”

“Yeah, we’ve noticed—barely anything,” said Sara. She rolled her eyes, but covered the chocolate cake and put it in the fridge. “You’re starting to act like Mom with all her diets. It’s like you two are encouraging each other. You won’t get fat from one piece of cake, you know.”

Werner rested his forearm on the back of the chair. “Perhaps I need to remind you that your father runs four restaurants. I get offered food all day long.”

She pouted. “But not by your own daughter.”

“No. By real chefs.”

She made a face and left the kitchen.

Werner took a deep breath and looked blankly through the window.

Helen could tell that it was costing him enormous effort to hide everything from the children. He was at his limit. And the job still wasn’t done. He’d had to stop working abruptly this afternoon at two thirty when Sara unexpectedly came home early from school, bringing three friends with her. The four of them had occupied the kitchen all afternoon. They’d baked a cake and taken photos of every step in the process—a project for school.

“I can sneak off for a few hours tomorrow morning,” said Werner. “But I need to go to the restaurant in the afternoon—there’s no avoiding it. I didn’t go in at all today.”

Thom stuck his head through the door. The older he got, the more he resembled Werner, with his refined, bony features and slim figure. It was as if she’d had nothing to do with the creation of her own son. Amazing how genetics worked sometimes.

“Have you gone shopping for my party yet?” he asked.

Helen and Werner both turned to face Thom.

“Party?”

Thom’s eyes widened. “Jesus, what are you two drinking there? I’m having a party on Friday, remember?”

“Yes, of course I remember,” answered Helen.

Thom stared at his parents incredulously. “Are you sure? Normally there’d be boxes from the cash-and-carry in the garage by now.”

“It’s all taken care of,” Werner snapped. “Your mother and I are trying to have a conversation here. Could we have a little peace?”

“Well, excuse me!”