He stands, adjusting his white shirt sleeves that have ridden up his gray suit jacket, and walks over to me. Apart from a little greyer in his hair, he looks the same, as if campaigns and the presidency haven’t aged him the way I imagine they do other politicians. But Dad isn’t like any other politician. He’s Walter Montgomery. He was born for this. That’s what everyone used to say. Honey, on the other hand, never quite felt the same about her only child.

“In our case, a spare would’ve been helpful.”

I can tell by the way Dad’s arms relax and his careful steps that he’s about to hug me. For a split second, I contemplate stepping around him. But I’m here to show good faith. I’m here to negotiate.

“Hi, Daddy.” I pat his back gently as he circles me.

I can’t, for the life of me, remember the last time we hugged. I guess it wouldn’t matter. I feel absolutely nothing except a bubbling rage. If I wasn’t standing in a place where one wrong move would land me tackled by at least a dozen grown men, I’d strangle him.

“Parker.” He steps back, putting his hands on my shoulders. “It’s good to have you home, sweetheart.”

“If you want to come home, you’ve got to follow the program,” I hear my mother say as I sobbed into the pay phone over a decade ago.

But I’ll never be home. Not with any of these three people, no matter where we are.

“You always have to make an entrance, don’t you, Parker?” Mom asks as I sit in the chair across from her desk. “We did leave you with a number to call.”

I smooth out the pleats in my dark grey skirt. “I thought you’d be happy to see me. I thought you might take this as a sign that I’m willing to do what you want.”

Mom tips her head as Dad steps behind her desk, next to Madeline. “It’s been nearly two weeks since we spoke,” she reminds me. “I figured you’d be too prideful to go through with everything.”

“It wouldn’t be the first time you’ve been wrong about me.” I smile. “I’m here, and like I said, I’m willing to do what you want if you’re serious about giving me Captain’s Cottage.”

“Yes. We were serious. We don’t exactly have time to waste playing games, Parker. If you haven’t noticed, we’re running a country here.”

I look at the three of them, confused about who is actually doing the work. “I do have conditions.”

Mom laughs sarcastically. “You never like to make things easy.”