The flames crawled and jumped. They slid onto the cuff of her shirt, a pretty white blouse with wide sleeves she’d worn for the welcome dinner. She tried to beat it out, but that didn’t help, so she tore her shirt off and threw it, scared. It was a fireball in the air. She threw down some of the films, hoping to stamp out the fire, but the flames, fueled by the turpentine, leaped and spread. Her heart knocked around, making it hard to breathe. She started coughing. She whacked the flames with a film but it only made things worse. The basement was bright with fire and smoke. What were you supposed to do in smoke? Cover your face with a wet cloth and crawl down low. But there wasn’t any water. Her mother used to tell her to sing when she was afraid, but it was hard to think straight much less sing. She found the wall and followed it around with her hands till she got to the back door of the basement. She turned the knob, hot from the fire, and rushed out of the house and into the yard, into the cold, dark night.

ALLISON SAT ON HER YOGA MAT IN THE LIVING ROOM, LEGS CROSSED, eyes closed, listening to the quiet thrumming all around her. Oh, but it was magnificent. A return to the old days, before her home became a boardinghouse. They were all gone: Grant, Suzanne, Adam, and even Terrance. Ted had invited Terrance to stay overnight with them after his exhausting day at the police station, but he declined, opting to go home after dinner.

“Home?” Ted had said. “This is home.”

“It’s your home,” Terrance said.

“But it’s your home too,” Ted said. “It’ll always be your home.”

Terrance tilted his head at him, thoughtful. “Can we stop and get a bag of chips at the Safeway on the way home, Ted?”

Terrance had moved on. He had a home of his own, a life of his own. All he wanted was to go back to his routine. It was hard for Ted to accept.

That was all Allison wanted too. To get back to her routine. Suzanne had been afraid Allison’s feelings would be hurt if they moved to the Coxes’—especially after what happened with Terrance—but far from it. It was all Allison could do not to laugh when Suzanne apologized to her. Let Nick pay for their sins for a while! She was all for it!

Allison took a deep breath through her nose and breathed out through her mouth, sinking deeper into calmness. Ted was off reading the paper somewhere, Jillian doing her homework in the dining room. All was as it should be.

She pressed back to downward-facing dog. Her eyes landed on an envelope on the floor in the front hallway. How long had that been lying there? She went over to look. It was addressed to her. “For ALISON MILLER.” Allison with one L. “TOP SECRET.” Top secret? It had something to do with Nick, she just knew it. Her indiscretion would haunt her for the rest of her life.