Of course, it isn’t easy. Lionel is—well, Lionel is what you’d call withdrawn.

Stays in his (attic) room. Up late watching TV (downstairs) or playing video games (upstairs). Sleeps late. Never uses the phone. Hasn’t contacted his old friends. Not even sure if they still live in South Niagara. Eats some of his meals in his room especially if Mom has invited guests to dinner—relatives who wants to see Lionel, or Katie herself.

Give the poor kid time, everyone says. Traumatic to be released from a maximum security prison after thirteen years when you were only seventeen when you went in.

Almost half of Lionel’s life inside.

It is the general belief among family, relatives, friends, no longer examined, still less questioned, that Lionel and Jerome Jr. were “railroaded” into confessions. South Niagara PD, prosecutors. Tried and found guilty in the media, targeted for being white. A general belief that the youngest sister Violet had something to do with the convictions. In some quarters, the youngest sister Violet had much to do with Lionel being rejected for parole time after time after time over the thirteen very long years.

You know that isn’t true, Katie. (Trying to speak calmly.)

I know it isn’t true, Katie says. I try to explain if the subject comes up . . .

Is that what Lionel thinks, too? (I have to ask.)

Oh God!—Katie laughs. Who’d know what Lionel thinks about anything? It’s not exactly like we talk.

Mom keeps marveling that Lionel has become so polite. Nothing like the rough loud kid he’d been . . .

Good. How good, Lionel has become polite.

Having summoned up the courage to call my sister as I do every few months. Check in with Katie. Just to inquire casually how she is. How Mom and Dad are. And Miriam, and Rick. And Les.

These brothers, remote to me as boys with whom I’d gone to school but barely knew.

Katie is my dear friend. Katie is my precious link, my only link to my lost life. Miriam has become distant, distracted; Miriam does not encourage me to call her, for she is very busy with her domestic life—young children, ambitious husband. Not once in my life have I spoken on the phone with Les or Rick. I’ve sent them cards as I’ve sent cards to others in the Kerrigan family but (no surprise) they have not ever responded.

I would fear calling either of them, they’ve been turned against their rat-sister and have come to hate me as Jerr and Lionel had.

Of course, Daddy is helping Lionel look for a job. Daddy has connections everywhere in the city, men who owe him favors. At Marcy, Lionel took courses in business math, accounting, English; he acquired experience in auto repair, welding, masonry, carpentry. Skills that are needed in the workplace. Decent-paying work. (No: not plumbing. Never the slightest interest in plumbing.)