I locked that moment in. Dad soaking wet, arms raised over his head and growling as he chased Alicia and Emmy through the rainbow sheen of water, the girls hysterical. The warmth of the sun. All of us here, nothing different yet.
When the ribs were done, I pulled them off, and we all headed inside. Dad and the girls went to change, and Kel and I were alone in the kitchen.
“You look tired,” she said, stirring the potato salad.
“See, if I said that to you, it would be offensive.”
“Perks of being a chick.”
“I guess.”
“Make any more headway?”
“No. Not really.”
“You thinking of staking Crane out? See if he goes anywhere suspicious?”
“No.”
“Really? Why?”
“I get the impression he’s not involved.”
“Yeah? How?”
“I just do. Thanks for talking to Seth, though. I appreciate it.”
Kel’s eyes narrowed, but she nodded. “Sure, anytime.” I could see she was about to say something else when I caught the sweep of a car’s front end swinging into Dad’s drive.
“Who the hell’s this?” I said, moving toward the door. “Everyone I know is here.” Visions of Elliot ambling up the front steps to ask further advice about his memoir loomed in my head, and I concocted an escape plan as I peered out the window.
A new-model sedan was parked in front of the garage, and a second later a guy climbed out and grabbed something from the back seat. There was a second of disorientation as he rounded the back of the car carrying two bulging bags with the emblem of Sandford’s only Thai restaurant on their sides. Then I sighed and prepared to open the door.
Cory was home.
21
“Surprise!” Cory yelled as he stepped inside.
Yes. Surprise.
He was dressed in gray slacks and a dark polo. He sported a new hairstyle swept back and to one side, and the sunglasses he wore cost more than I made in a month.
“Little brother, how you be?” His hug was all toned gym muscle and expensive cologne. He brushed past me and embraced Kel, whose mouth hung slightly open. The bags from the Thai place sat near my feet, steaming.
“What are you doing here?” Kel asked when he released her.
“Gee, nice to see you, Cory. Glad you could make it for the old man’s birthday. Thanks for bringing dinner.” He laughed.
“No, you just didn’t let us know you were coming,” Kel said, visibly faltering. She looked how I felt. Cory’s visits were always an assault on the system. Like a virus you had no choice but to suffer through until it burned itself out.
“Like I said, surprise! Had some PTO built up and thought I’d swing east for the big day. Where is the birthday boy?”
Dad came down the hall and stopped short, eyes going wide. “Cory? What’re you doing here?”
“Geez, starting to feel like I’m not wanted. How are you, Pops? Happy birthday.” He crossed the room and gave Dad a hug. Kel and I shared a look.
“Uncle Cory!” Alicia and Emmy called in unison, coming out of the bathroom. They rushed over and grasped either of his legs. Cory hoisted them up, one in each arm.
“Baby pies! How old are you now? Fifteen? Sixteen?” They giggled. “Go out in the back of Uncle Cory’s car and get your presents.”
The girls scrambled out of his arms and rushed through the front door. “You don’t need to bring them presents every time you come,” Kel said.
“Gotta spoil my nieces.”
A hush fell over the house. I could have sworn I heard paint peeling somewhere. “So,” Dad finally said, breaking the silence. “How was your trip?”
“Oh, you know, going through O’Hare is like running the gauntlet of hell, but I flew first class, which is always nice. I wouldn’t have made it at all, but the deal I was closing went through quicker than I thought. Did you change the carpet?”
Dad looked around at the floor. “Nope. Same.”
“Huh. Thought you said you were going to.”
“Yeah, well, I was thinking about it but . . .”
The girls came bustling back in, concealed behind a stack of boxes and bags in their arms. As they started tearing the presents open like hyenas around a kill, Cory plucked a slender bag from the ruins of tissue paper and handed it to Dad. “Happy birthday.”
“Oh, thanks, son. You didn’t have to.”
“It’s no problem.” Dad unwrapped a bottle of cheap whiskey and held it at arm’s length. “It’s your favorite brand,” Cory said, grabbing one of the Thai bags from beside me. Dad’s eyes flickered from the bottle to Cory to Kel and me. It wasn’t his favorite.