Instead of letting go, Andrew slid his hand around back of Neil's neck and pulled him in close. He put his mouth at Neil's ear and lowered his voice, but Neil didn't have to see his face to know Andrew was still smiling. He could hear it.

"Drake deferred his enlistment," Andrew said. "He wanted to make the most of his last summer with his baby brother. He even asked Cass if we could invite Aaron up for a couple weeks so we could all meet. Cass left it up to me, but whenever she wasn't looking Drake tried talking me into it. He wanted to get both of us in the same place. He could imagine what we'd look like in bed together, he said. It'd be picture perfect."

Neil flinched. He'd pushed because he needed to see that horrible smile crack. He needed to know if Andrew was screaming behind the euphoria his drugs fed his veins. But Andrew wasn't, and Neil couldn't live with that. Andrew's medicine was too strong or his psychosis too twisted; either way, tonight didn't mean anything to him. This was a setback Andrew could sidestep and ignore.

"Speaking of the other Minyard..." Andrew let go of Neil and grinned at Wymack. He raised his voice so Wymack could hear and asked, "He really did it, didn't he? Probably the most decisive thing he's ever managed. Where was that spine when his mother was beating him? It would have come in handy all those years. Someone ought to congratulate him."

"Aaron is under arrest," Betsy said. "Why don't you come inside so we can talk about it?"

Andrew turned a surprised look on her. "Are you still here, Bee?"

"For a few moments longer," Betsy said. "The milk's almost done heating. I picked some up on the way over so we could have some cocoa. I brought the entire canister of the dark chocolate hazelnut with me. If we start drinking it now, we could probably make ourselves sick off of it by midnight."

Neil couldn't believe her. Chocolate wasn't a fix-it; it wouldn't make any of this easier to stomach. Except a moment later Andrew dragged Neil's arm around where he could get a look at Neil's watch and said, "You think of everything, Bee. We'll be in soon."

Betsy nodded and went inside. When she was gone Andrew tried again to get his hand free. Neil still held fast. Andrew turned a look on him that was too amused to be exasperated.

"Better luck next time, Neil," he said. "I warned you once already, didn't I? I don't feel anything."

"Anymore," Neil said, barely a whisper.