"Does your shrink know you have a grudge against half of the English language?" Neil asked, but Andrew only grinned. "I know you can't understand this because you've never had a real family, but Nicky has to give his parents another try. If you're lucky this dinner will be the breaking point. Nicky's got his hopes up thinking his mother's come around. If she lets him down again he might be ready to walk away for good."

Andrew hummed tunelessly as he thought. The longer he was silent, the surer Neil was that he'd failed. Finally Andrew reached for him again. This time he hooked his fingers in Neil's shirt collar instead of going for his throat.

"One last chance," he said. "That's all I'm going to give Nicky. But I won't spend Thanksgiving with them, and I won't play nice. Get Nicky to change the date and get your invitation. Okay?"

"Okay," Neil said.

"We're all going to regret this." Andrew let go of Neil with a smile. "Nicky most of all if his father winds up dead."

Neil hesitated, knowing he shouldn't ask, knowing he'd asked too much already. In the end he couldn't help it. "Did you really kill Aaron's mother?"

"That was a tragic accident. Didn't you read the police reports?" Andrew affected innocence but the twitch at the corner of his mouth gave him away. Andrew gave up the farce a couple seconds later and laughed. "Guess she hit him one time too many. I warned her not to lay a hand on him, but she didn't listen to me. She got what was coming to her. Does that frighten you, Neil?"

"My first memories are of people dying," Neil said. "I'm not afraid of you."

"That's why you're so interesting," Andrew said. "How aggravating."

He sounded amused, not annoyed, so Neil said, "I'll try to be more boring in the future."

"How considerate." Andrew motioned between their faces. "This is a secret given on credit, Neil. Remember it, okay? I'll ask you for something later. We're done talking today, so goodbye. Send my cowardly cousin back soon."

Andrew didn't follow when Neil left the bedroom. Neil expected to find Nicky lurking in the hall waiting for the results, but Nicky had gone into Neil's room to wait for his return. He was perched on the far end of the couch from Matt. Nicky smiled when Neil walked in but the expression didn't reach his eyes. He looked almost ill with nervous hope.

"Two questions," Neil said, crossing the room to stand in front of Nicky. "If Kevin and I promise to stay out of the way of your family business, can we tag along?" It wasn't the question Nicky expected. Surprise and confusion startled a little of the fear out of him. Neil waited for Nicky's uncertain nod before continuing. "Also, do you think your mother can change the date? Andrew refuses to see them on a major holiday."