Diesel wags his tail enthusiastically. It smells so good. He can’t help himself — Let me get a closer whiff — and he jumps up on her.

“Down, boy.” She bumps him gently with her knee.

He drops but tilts his head from one side to the other. Chicken?

“Go!” Mom points away from herself.

“Not for you, boy,” I tell him.

Diesel drops his head and paces behind her, toenails clicking on the floor, as she finishes unbagging the food and setting it on the table.

Napkins, ketchup, salt, vinegar. She hums, in a good mood for a change. Maybe it’s the holiday from cooking in the heat.

But then the doorbell rings. “Rawf!” Diesel’s tail cranks hard as he scuttles toward the door. Someone is at the front.

Dad walks in, an empty brown box tucked under each arm. That did not happen last time. “I’m here to pack the books,” he calls from the hall. “I know they’re the heaviest to carry.”

Mom lifts an eyebrow. “What a surprise.”

I can hear between the lines: You should have called first.

“Please, Mom, please,” I beg her in a low voice, “give him a break.”

She steps out of the kitchen into the hallway.

“Woof!” Welcome, Alpha!

Dad puts the boxes down for a moment to take Diesel’s head in his hands and scratch around his cheeks and ears. He looks up at Mom. “Do you want me to take the boxes over to Cathie’s right away?”

“No,” Mom says in one down note. “She says she has no room for them. You can take them directly to the recycle centre.”

“What? Not our books! I’ll take them to my brother’s. Save them for when we get a new place.”

Mom doesn’t contradict him. Instead she smiles. Morgan’s so wrong. Dad and Mom love their books. They were meant to be with each other. I give Dad the eyeball and nod to remind him.

“Also, tomorrow night?” he says. “I have The Shape of Water reserved from the library. Won best picture. Remember you wanted to see it?” He smiles. “Leo’s TV doesn’t work very well or I’d invite you over. Unless … we could both watch it here.” He turns and winks at me.

“I don’t know. I have so much packing and so little time.”

“We’ll do it together. After the movie.”

“Fine.”

“Great. Don’t let me disturb you,” Dad says and heads for the living room bookshelf.

I will accompany Alpha. Diesel abandons the good food smell to stay on Dad’s heels.

I set the table with a couple of plates and forks and knives, for Mom and me only, not daring to push my luck.

Chicken! Diesel returns, tongue hanging out as he eyes the table.

Dad checks in with us a few seconds later, loaded down with a box filled with books. “Taking these to the car. I’ll be back for the other box in a second.”

“You could have supper with us, James,” Mom says, barely turning her head.