Chapter 5

Daniel had already made a list.

It lay between us at River House, the restaurant where the four of us used to meet whenever no one wanted to cook. The hostess had reached for four menus before Daniel corrected her.

"Just two."

The canceled Sunday gathering had left behind a caterer, rented chairs, food orders and relatives who had planned their weekend around us. Daniel had divided the remaining tasks into two columns.

I recognized his handwriting from years of shared grocery lists and vacation schedules.

"I'll call Vanessa's mother," I said. "She needs to know before she starts driving."