Midnight Bayou

same, Seth thought. It didn’t matter what color the walls were painted or if the old sofa had been replaced, if a new lamp stood on the table. It was the same because it felt the same.
    The dog snaked around his legs and made a beeline for the kitchen.
    “I want you to sit down.” She nodded to the kitchen table, under which Witless was sprawled, happily gnawing on a hunk of rope. “And tell me everything. You want some wine?”
    “Sure, after I help you put this stuff away.” When her eyebrows shot up, he paused with a gallon of milk in his hand. “What?”
    “I was just remembering the way everyone, including you, disappeared whenever it was time to put groceries away.”
    “Because you always said we put things in the wrong place.”
    “You always did, on purpose so I’d kick you out of the kitchen.”
    “You copped to that, huh?”
    “I cop to everything when it comes to my guys. Nothing gets by me, pal. Did something happen in Rome?”
    “No.” He continued to unpack the bags. He knew where everything went, where everything had always gone in Anna’s kitchen. “I’m not in trouble, Anna.”
    But you are troubled, she thought, and let it go for now. “I’m going to open a nice Italian white. We’ll have a glass and you can tell me all the wonderful things you’ve been doing. It seems like years since we’ve talked face-to-face.”

    He shut the refrigerator and turned to her. “I’m sorry I didn’t get home for Christmas.”
    “Honey, we understood. You had a showing in January. We’re all so proud of you, Seth. Cam must’ve bought a hundred copies of the issue of the Smithsonian magazine when they did the article on you. The young American artist who’s seduced Europe.”
    He shrugged a shoulder, such an innately Quinn gesture, she grinned. “So sit,” she ordered.
    “I’ll sit, but I’d rather you caught me up. How the hell is everyone? What’re they doing? You first.”
    “All right.” She finished opening the bottle, got out two glasses. “I’m doing more administrative work these days than casework. Social work involves a lot of paperwork, but it’s not as satisfying. Between that and having two teenagers in the house, there’s no time to be bored. The boat business is thriving.”
    She sat, passed Seth his glass. “Aubrey’s working there.”
    “No kidding?” The thought of her, the girl who was more sister to him than any blood kin, made him smile. “How’s she doing?”
    “Terrific. She’s beautiful, smart, stubborn and, according to Cam, a genius with wood. I think Grace was a little disappointed when Aubrey didn’t want to pursue dancing, but it’s hard to argue when you see your child so happy. And Grace and Ethan’s Emily followed in her mother’s toe shoes.”
    “She still heading to New York end of August?”
    “A chance to dance with the American Ballet Company doesn’t come along every day. She’s grabbing it, and she swears she’ll be principal before she’s twenty. Deke’s his father’s son—quiet, clever and happiest when he’s out on the water. Sweetie, do you want a snack?”
    “No.” He reached out, laid a hand over hers. “Keep going.”

    “Okay then. Phillip remains the business’s marketing and promotion guru. I don’t think any of us, including Phil, ever thought he’d leave the ad firm in Baltimore, give up urban living and dig down in St. Chris. But it’s been, what, fourteen years, so I don’t suppose we can call it a whim. Of course he and Sybill keep the apartment in New York. She’s working on a new book.”
    “Yeah, I talked to her.” He rubbed the dog’s head with his foot. “Something about the evolution of community in cyberspace. She’s something. How are the kids?”
    “Insane, as any self-respecting teenager should be. Bram was madly in love with a girl named Cloe last week. That could be over by now. Fiona’s interests are torn between boys and shopping. But, well, she’s fourteen, so that’s natural.”
    “Fourteen. Jesus. She hadn’t had her tenth birthday when I left for Europe. Even seeing them on and off over the last few years, it doesn’t seem . . . it doesn’t seem possible that Kevin’s driving, and Aub’s building boats. Bram’s sniffing after girls. I remember—” He cut himself off, shook his head.
    “What?”
    “I remember when Grace was pregnant with Emily. It was the first time I was around someone who was having a baby—well, someone who wanted to. It seems