She and Hallie had done the exact same thing as children—Hallie pushing Colleen forward to negotiate with their parents. You ask, she’d say. You ask.

Hallie caught Colleen’s gaze and unsaid recognition flew between them, wings flapping both in the air and in her chest. Don’t betray your sister someday, that was what Colleen wanted to say to Rosie. Instead she came from around the bar to speak to the child. “Oh, I have to stay with Grandfather in his house. I promised him.”

Sadie clung to Hallie’s skirts and spoke to Rosie, pretending Colleen didn’t exist. “Don’t make her come. We don’t know her yet.”

Colleen laughed despite herself, the sound startling little Sadie into retreating further. “I’m not scary, I promise.”

“Sadie.” Rosie spoke in a grown-up voice and jumped off the bar stool to pull her sister from behind their mother. “Don’t be such a scaredy-cat. See? She’s pretty and she’s nice.”

Hallie laughed, but then stifled it quickly, taking her daughters’ hands. “Aunt Lena needs to stay with Grandy.”

“But,” Rosie said, “we want to have a tea party and make bead necklaces with her.”

“That sounds like great fun,” Colleen said, “so let’s find another time to do it.”

Rosie looked at Sadie and stated loudly, “Sadie, that’s what grown-ups say when they will never play with you.”

“Oh! That’s not true,” Colleen said. “I have a magic wand now and I can make anything happen.”

Rosie brightened and grasped a handful of Sadie’s tutu. “See? She’ll play with us.”

Hallie was quiet during this interchange, but a small smile played on her lips. She tried to quell it; Colleen saw her try, but it wasn’t working. Rosie and Sadie were playing the two different parts of Hallie—one ready to play and the other scared of drawing near to Colleen.

“Rosie,” Colleen said, “will you scoot on back and tell Uncle Shane I need him? Sadie, can you go help your sister?”

“Okay.” Rosie grabbed her sister’s hand and together the two little girls ran off.

Colleen faced her sister, moving a bit away from the man who was researching their building. Hallie spoke first. “I know that not even a magic wand could force you to spend the night at my house.”

“You’re right. Why would I do that? It’s absurd.”

Hallie leaned closer. “I know we have to work together to help Dad and we will, but I want you to tell me all the things you’ve wanted to say. I can feel them, Lena. Like snakes running under your words—all the angry, hateful words you never said.”

“Why does it matter now? Really? It doesn’t.”