Neil and Kevin hung back as they crossed the yard. Aaron and Andrew waited on the walkway, standing side by side for the first time Neil could remember. Nicky stood silent and still on the porch for almost a full minute before ringing the doorbell. As soon as he did he retreated to the edge of the porch to wait. Andrew flashed Neil a grin over his shoulder, and Neil only shook his head in response.

Maria Hemmick answered the door. She was taller than Neil expected her to be, but he could see the resemblance between her and Nicky in an instant. Nicky jokingly blamed her when Neil first commented on how different Nicky looked from his cousins. Andrew and Aaron were pale and light-haired, whereas Nicky inherited his Mexican mother's darker complexion. He had his mother's eyes and the same curve to his mouth. Nicky had never smiled like this, though, so polite and small it was barely welcoming.

"Why did you ring the doorbell?" she asked in lieu of hello.

"This isn't my house anymore," Nicky reminded her.

She pursed her lips but didn't argue. She stepped aside, so they moved out of the cold into the much warmer front hall. Maria closed the door behind them and turned to face her guests. Neil and Kevin were now the closest ones to her. There was no recognition in her stare when she considered them, but she nodded a greeting at them.

"You must be Kevin and Neil," she said. "I'm Maria."

Kevin put on one of his public-friendly smiles and said, "It's nice to meet you."

She looked to the twins next, but her gaze slipped past Aaron entirely. She smiled at Andrew and said, "Aaron, it's been a long time."

"Aaron," Aaron answered.

Maria looked from Andrew's smile to Aaron's guarded expression and back again. "Oh, yes, of course," she said, but she sounded uncertain.

"Andrew's been on medication for almost three years now, Mom," Nicky said, with a hint of impatience.

Andrew cleared things up for her with the brightest, most unfriendly smile his drugs allowed him. "Hello, Maria. How very, very nice to see you again, I'm sure. Very interesting, you letting us back in your house and all. I thought you were going to file a restraining order against me. What happened, did you lose your nerve?"

"Andrew," Nicky pleaded through clenched teeth.

Maria's cheeks flushed. "You can leave your coats here." A narrow door to her right was a closet with a dozen-odd spare hangers. Maria watched them hang their coats up, then beckoned for them to follow. "Right this way."

"Can't you even tell your own nephews—" Nicky started, but the rest of the question was forgotten as they stepped into the kitchen and spotted Nicky's father.