As I regretted speaking Abel said “It’s never wrong to learn all you can. That’s what life is for.”

“Point proved,” my mother said.

“How old would you say I am, Patrick? Be as honest as you can.”

“Older than my aunt.”

“You wouldn’t care to put a figure to it.”

I saw he was amused, perhaps encouraging the rest of the adults to be, but I muttered “Can’t.”

“He hasn’t inherited your calculating mind, then. Perhaps he’ll follow Thelma’s path instead.”

As my mother made to retort, my father intervened. “How did you two meet, if you don’t mind my asking?”

“Thelma brought me home from her woods.”

My mother spoke at once. “And how long have you known each other?”

“I’d often seen her. Your son too.”

“You’re local, then,” my father said.

“Just now I am.”

“You didn’t answer my question,” my mother said.

Abel widened his eyes as though to stretch all expression out of them, but it was my aunt who answered. “It feels like years.”

As I saw this fail to satisfy my mother I heard a moist whisper at the windows. Above the fence the treetops had begun to twitch as though Abel’s mention of the woods had roused them. A stain like a trailing hem of the sky spread down the fence, and the panes resounded as rain blundered against the glass. “The night’s upon us,” Abel said.

Apparently my mother didn’t relish such a fancy. “Just a storm.”

“The night’s always eager to be here. Can’t you feel it, Patrick? It’s all around you every moment of your life.”

“I hope you’ll forgive me,” my father said, “but I’m not sure that makes sense.”

“The sky is the illusion. The night is waiting all the time. If you don’t embrace the night you’ll never see the stars.”

Abel was still addressing me. I saw this had begun to antagonise my father, but it was my mother who spoke. “Let’s hope this ends soon.”

“We’re all safe in here,” my aunt said, “however fierce it gets.”

“I was only thinking your friend won’t want to be walking home in it.”

This produced a pause that I imagined swarming with unspoken thoughts as well as rain. Abel ended it by saying “I know my course well enough.”